Nestled in the sleepy by-lanes of Shantinagar, Bangalore is a small establishment that is often considered as one of the city’s treasure troves of exquisite furniture and antiques. In the age of large corporate brands and factory outlets that spit out vast numbers of cliche curios and wooden chattels one may wonder if old-school artisans , carpenters and craftsmen still have a place and prominence in the antique industry today. Fighting to keep the tradition of exclusivity and individuality alive is ‘5th Cross Antiques’ - A store that is run out of the backyard of Meenu Khanolkar that is well and truly homemade !
The Idea for the store first dawned on her when she played host to a garage sale of artefacts for a good friend of hers back in 1994. “ The beginnings were very small and humble and I almost stumbled upon this business. I needed to do something and we had this friend who was a trader of sorts of antique furniture “ says Meenu as she fondly recollects memories. “He suggested i have a small sale in my home and he would provide me with the pieces. I did and i made precisely 4500 in my first sale. that money i put down towards buying my first piece of furniture.” she adds proudly and honestly describing her humble beginnings in the trade.
Through the years the furniture line has gone through dozens of upheavals and changes with the IKEAs and the Pepper Frys of the industry virtually dictating design, quality, finish and pricing of most of the visible inventory. That being said, they aren’t really doing anything wrong so to speak as a customer always wants affordable and functional products, but the adverse effect this has on businesses such as 5th Cross Antiques cannot be ignored. Meenu is well aware of this and in fact is quite open-minded when it asked about her thoughts on the issue. “ Those who have taste and wish to buy only quality teak wood or rosewood furniture will buy only that ” she says sprightly however does admit that the visibility of the store has diminished over the years. “ The online market and the convenience of large stores like lifestyle have certainly affected my business ” she adds.
The store however still maintains a loyal clientele and has two facets that further distinguish them from the norm . Not only do they build and design wooden amenities to a client’s specifications but also restore old furniture. Both, Meenu says are completely different processes that require differing levels of expertise. The expertise however is highly dependant on material and labour costs that have now skyrocketed in the past few years. “ Availability of skilled workers is a huge issue and any amount one pays them it isn’t enough. there just arent enough good skilled carpenters available. and most of them prefer to work with ply. It’s much easier and cost effective. “ which is far different than large companies with huge factories.
The catalogue of products sold at the 5th cross antiques is also worth a mention. From luxurious wooden armchairs, cabinets, bar stools and tables to intricately designed birdhouses, balcony pot holders and coffee side tables , the store pretty much has you ‘sorted’ . Recently , the outlet has also dabbled in smaller items and souvenirs for gifting purposes such as tea caddies, masala box holders , back scratchers and multipurpose utility boxes. The store also draws customers from all quarters and not just the well heeled. At the end of the day furniture is highly subjective and taste differs from person to person. “ Bangalore being a cosmopolitan city has all kinds of people here from all walks of life. A mixed bag. There’s demand for all kinds of furniture. I, once even had a clients maid and driver buy some furniture from me which was quite refreshing! “ .
In a city that is at warp speed currently in terms of technological progress, there are still a few hidden gems such as this that define Bangalore’s rich colonial heritage and penchant for design.