Legacy Vintage began as an architectural salvage business, rooted in the recovery and reuse of historic building materials. Over time, the focus narrowed. The warehouse gave way to a more considered approach: fewer objects, chosen with greater intention. What remains is a reflection of how we live and what we value.
We value quality over novelty, reuse over replacement, & objects that improve with age.
Mission Statement:
Legacy Building Supply exists:
- to stimulate and inspire home, store and set decorators,
- to encourage and inform heritage-minded environmentalists, and
- to support and indulge artistic and cultural pursuits
by providing carefully chosen vintage home decor, garden accents & botanicals, lighting, architectural elements, pantry items, and Three Centuries of door hardware.
Read our story in the Summer Issue of
The History of Legacy Vintage AT Home
1996 - Genesis Of The “Legacy” Concept
In late 1966, Sven wound down his law practice in the United States and resettled in Cobourg. Intending to build a home there, he dismantled some barns to obtain the interesting materials that were not readily available. After visiting every significant salvage operation along Ontario’s lakeshore from Hamilton to Kingston Sven determined that the market for vintage building materials was under-supplied. Fulfilling his desire to embark on a meaningful business Sven secured and rezoned Cobourg’s C.P. Railway yard and over the ensuing year accumulated sufficient inventory for Legacy Building Supply to open for business on July 15, 1998. A constant source of inventory was developed through continued strip-outs, deconstruction projects and the formation of a resource network of like-minded people and businesses.
1997 - Early Days
Much motivation for the genesis of the Legacy enterprise came from Sven’s philosophy that landfills are a costly and wasteful alternative for reusable building materials and housewares. It is estimated that at least twenty percent of landfill material is “waste” from renovation, demolition and new construction projects. Compounding this already grave landfill situation is the unnecessary harvesting of trees and resulting erosion of the world’s forest reserves, animal habitats and green spaces -ostensibly to meet the demand for scarce timbers and lumber. Legacy has in its brief existence shipped countless tons of salvaged timbers to Alberta, Montana, Wyoming, Texas, Virginia; lumber to New York; bricks to Bermuda; tin ceiling to Georgia and California and iron fireplace surrounds and accessories to Missouri and all the western provinces.
Over recent years generally adopted recycling programs have lead to an enhanced awareness regarding the concept of reclaimed building materials – especially for artifacts of historic interest. However, it is a time of accelerating change for all regions within the range of urban sprawl. In these areas the interests of land developers and preservationists are, by definition, frequently polarized. Relentless economic pressure and disparate philosophical views ensure that this friction will never cease. Legacy provides an environmentally sound salve to some of the harsh realities of progress. Meritorious architectural elements need not be lost “forever”. The integration of reclaimed architectural artifacts will go a long way to preserve the fine heritage that is Ontario’s hallmark. Legacy’s timber-framed store, which is a composite of three salvaged buildings, is now a ”safe harbour” for select materials that survive the demolition of our early structures. Legacy adopts the view is that we don’t inherit our environment from our ancestors, but rather borrow it from our children.
Over recent years generally adopted recycling programs have lead to an enhanced awareness regarding the concept of reclaimed building materials – especially for artifacts of historic interest. However, it is a time of accelerating change for all regions within the range of urban sprawl. In these areas the interests of land developers and preservationists are, by definition, frequently polarized. Relentless economic pressure and disparate philosophical views ensure that this friction will never cease. Legacy provides an environmentally sound salve to some of the harsh realities of progress. Meritorious architectural elements need not be lost “forever”. The integration of reclaimed architectural artifacts will go a long way to preserve the fine heritage that is Ontario’s hallmark. Legacy’s timber-framed store, which is a composite of three salvaged buildings, is now a ”safe harbour” for select materials that survive the demolition of our early structures. Legacy adopts the view is that we don’t inherit our environment from our ancestors, but rather borrow it from our children.
2002- 2024
After four years, Legacy attracted a kindred spirit in the form of Christine Jenkinson. Common interests and philosophies with Sven, over time, led to a shared life and the business partnership that constitutes the enterprise today. As a result of Christine’s very fine eye for colour, style and presentation, Legacy embarked on a renovation and reorganization of the original store in Cobourg's C.P.R. freight shed. A rebranding to "Legacy Vintage Building Materials and Antiques" heralded the change. Buying trips to France, England, Portugal, and the northern USA, along with numerous local shows, provided the inventory best demonstrating Christine’s merchandising skills. As Store Manager, Christine donated Legacy’s contemporary building materials to charity, focusing the company on the preservation of vintage materials. She further refined Legacy’s inventory mix by diminishing the number of categories but filling them with finer products. Continued refinement and upgrading of Legacy’s computerized inventory enhanced and simplified the shopping experience of Legacy’s clientele.
FAQs
Where do you get all this stuff?
Over the years, we often travelled to Western Europe, Quebec, the US and the UK. We also bought 3 or 4 times a year from our buyer who shopped to Eastern Europe. We scour auctions, estate sales and antique markets. We buy from people who call or walk through our door.
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