Lost & Found Shop

Lost & Found is not just a clever play on words. Charles Whitley truly believes that items can be lost ― that hidden treasures are all around, waiting to be found. A bolt of gorgeous fabric made in Japan in 1950 with the original tag still attached sits near the register. “It’s been sitting here in Montreal for the last 70 years and nobody’s used it yet,” Charles says. “To me, that piece is lost and, you know, someone should use it.”

Charles and his business partner, Joana de Castro, first delved into the world of second-hand goods by running a couple of tables at weekend flea markets that had popped up in the Mile End neighbourhood one summer. “They didn’t last, but they gave us kind of a jump start into the business,” recalls Charles. It was an experience that opened his eyes to the energy and excitement of the world of second-hand stuff. “What we loved was that the people generally loved it,” Charles notes. “And when they see an object or a piece the same way you see it, it’s very rewarding. And that kept happening. It happened a lot for a Saturday in a schoolyard.”

That initial success inspired the pair to keep that flea market vibe going year-round and to set up shop on Parc Avenue in May 2011. At the shop they sell everything from clothing to furniture to cufflinks and tie clips. In the store, a colourful array of vintage watches immediately draws the eye. A rack of silk scarves begs to be touched. The care and attention to detail that went into the store’s arrangement is readily apparent.