There’s something special about buying vintage for your home. An object has already had a life, there’s often a story behind it, and — unlike something picked from a row of identical pieces — you’re unlikely to walk into somebody else’s house and find exactly the same thing.
That philosophy sits at the heart of Beautiful This n That, the North Shields vintage and antiques business run by Brian and Pat, who will be joining us at the I Love North Shields Vintage Market on Sunday 25 October.
From the Fish Quay to the North of England
Beautiful This n That has been buying and selling antique and vintage pieces for the home since 2020 — and it really is a local business.
Brian and Pat live at the Smokehouses on our very own North Shields Fish Quay, just a stone’s throw from the home of our Vintage Market at Salt Market Social.
Their stock doesn’t come from a catalogue. The pair travel around the North of England, particularly visiting auctions, looking for pieces that catch their eye.
“We tend to buy the things we like in the hope that other people will like them too.”
The result is an ever-changing collection of unusual, elegant and attractive vintage and antique pieces for the home.
Their main selling platform is eBay, although you’ll occasionally find them out in the real world at antique fairs and markets — which, luckily for us, includes ours.
A Home That Never Stops Changing
There’s another lovely element to the way Brian and Pat work.
Rather than keeping all their stock hidden away waiting to be sold, many of the pieces become part of their own home at the Smokehouses.
They enjoy them until somebody buys them.
Then another piece from their stock takes its place.
It means their interior is constantly changing — almost like living inside their own vintage shop.
For two people who genuinely love the things they source, it seems a rather good way to run a business.
Pre-Loved Before New
There is also a simple idea behind Beautiful This n That that we love: before buying something new, consider whether you could buy something pre-loved instead.
For Brian and Pat, it’s partly about sustainability, but it’s also about individuality.
Vintage and antique shopping gives you the opportunity to find objects with character that simply aren’t available among mass-produced products on the high street.
And sometimes the fun is not knowing what you’re looking for until you see it.
More Than Selling Stuff
October won’t be Brian and Pat’s first time with us. In fact, it will be their third Vintage Market at Salt Market Social.
And when we asked what keeps bringing them back, their answer rather perfectly summed up what we’re trying to create with these market Sundays.
“For us it’s not just about selling stuff, it’s about meeting different people. It has a real community feel about it.”
They also admit that being traders doesn’t prevent them from enjoying the rest of the market themselves.
“We love the food and drinks as well as the live music and mooching around other people’s stalls. It’s a day out — and if we sell some stuff that’s great.”
That’s exactly it.
Shop for something you won’t find everywhere else. Meet the person who found it. Have something to eat. Listen to some music. Go for another mooch. Meet somebody you know. Stay a little longer than you planned.
Meet Beautiful This n That at the Vintage Market
Brian and Pat will be bringing a selection of their vintage and antique finds to our Autumn Vintage Market.
Come and have a rummage — and, importantly, come and say hello.
📅 Sunday 25 October 2026
⏰ Vintage Market: 10am–4pm
🎶 Food, drinks and music until 7pm
📍 Salt Market Social, North Shields Fish Quay
🛍️ 50+ independent vintage & antique traders across two floors
🎟️ FREE ENTRY
🐕 Dog friendly
♿ Wheelchair accessible
You can also explore Brian and Pat’s online shop at Beautiful This n That on eBay.
Come for the vintage. Stay for the social. ❤️
