Great Blue Heron Antiques

The intersection of Highway 21 and County Road 25 for old-timers, or Bluewater Highway and Blyth Road as the new actual names now read on maps, is known colloquially as Dunlop Corner and the century barn that stands there is known to locals as Steep’s Antique Barn but is now home to Great Blue Heron Antiques.

Now, don’t pay attention to the fact that we are now three owners past Steep - the takeaway is that the barn at Dunlop Corners is an antique barn of some local repute, and the owners since the Steeps have maintained the quality that keeps it known as the place to go for good treasure hunting.

In fact, 2023 marked the 50th anniversary of the antique barn and current owner, Lesley Heritage remembers antiquing here with her dad when she was just a child. Fast forward a few decades, and those childhood adventures turned into a lifelong passion for antiques that resulted in her and husband Dave finally having the opportunity to purchase the iconic business from Bob Calhoun who had bought the business from Dennis and Diane Steep in 1999.

The building began its life as a livery in 1899, was bumped up to a bank-style barn around 1930 and converted into an antique store in 1973.

The history permeates the place and Lesley and Dave Heritage have spent the last year adding to the ambience. Lesley has converted the second floor to an artisan vendor space with tables in the centre for artist workshops. She also features her own line of curated retail items, and some of her own hand-crafted items. In addition, she is also the regional dealer for Fusion mineral paints, a high-end craft paint that is popular with upcyclers. 

Popular workshops such as wreath-making, epoxy pouring, acrylic painting are held throughout the spring, summer and fall. The building is unheated, and closed from January to March for the coldest months. With no central heating or air-conditioning, everyone is reminded to dress appropriately!

Dave has been responsible for stocking the main floor. While a long-time collector, starting out with hockey and baseball cards, Lesley introduced him to Lake Huron and his collecting started to expand. When asked about what they specialize in, the list grew but almost every genre started with the word Canadian, giving away their true passion. From railroad, farm, foundries, and dairy, any industry that helped Canada get on its feet over the past several centuries is well-represented and hyper-local items are the most popular items they carry.

Summer hours are Thursday through Sunday, 11 am to 4 pm with other hours by appointment. An outdoor market on the lawn is planned for Saturdays in the summer with a variety of other vendors joining them. 34002 Blyth Road, Goderich. Find them on Facebook.