Book closes on Canterbury’s Robin Hood Antiques

Prominent antique dealer Robin Kelly is preparing to sell her biggest antique yet: her historic Canterbury shops.

Kelly recently closed Robin Hood Antiques after 48 years of trawling the state for vintage items, some of which she hired out to film and TV crews.

The 78-year-old has now listed Robin Hood’s longtime base — an 1888-built shop at 245 Canterbury Rd — and an adjoining coffee shop at No. 247 for private sale, with a combined $1.5 million asking price.

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No. 245 is believed to be the oldest remaining shop in the eastern suburb, starting its life as Boanas Restaurant & Wine Hall before becoming Weymouth’s hardware store in 1902.

Canterbury icon Robin Kelly inside Robin Hood Antiques in 2011, with her dog Suzie.

Kelly has owned the shops since 1999. She also bought a third adjoining property that year, but later sold it in 2006.

The professional singer and heritage advocate says kitchenalia and furniture from Robin Hood made its way into beloved 1995 flick Babe.

Helen Mirren’s 2018 supernatural horror movie Winchester also featured “a huge stained-glass window” sourced from her store.

The shop is believed to be the oldest remaining shop in Canterbury. Pictured as Weymouth’s hardware store.

An antique bed from Kelly’s shop also popped up in Paul Hogan miniseries Anzacs.

“I bought it from a farm in Lake Boga (near Swan Hill). It had been run over by a truck and bent in half,” Kelly recalls.

“I got my restorer to open it all up — antique beds are indestructible.”

Robin Hood Antiques is packed with vintage items, which will be auctioned off following the shop’s sale.

She says her beds — a speciality of the shop — have also been perused by the makers of Foxtel’s Picnic at Hanging Rock.

Kelly says the shops remain in near original condition, with tall timber ceilings and charming “crooked floors”.

The properties are being offered with vacant possession, with Kelly planning a public auction once they’ve sold to clear Robin Hood of its mountain of goods.

Helen Mirren movie Winchester featured a stained-glass window sourced from the store.

She says the stores would be well suited to another old-school business, such as a vintage shop, vinyl record store or antiques market, or perhaps a restaurant.

Assetxcel Victoria selling agent Charles Sava says the pair occupy 358sqm of land near Canterbury train station and thriving shopping strip Maling Rd, with rear lane access.

Their commercial 1 zoning offers the potential to add three to four storeys on top, or to develop the land behind them — as long as any works are sympathetic to their heritage status, Sava says.