Priceless Brian and Tim to close the cabin doors for good

For the past 35 years, Brian Graham and Tim Jones, owners of Uncle Tim’s Cabin, have become synonymous with antique trading and restoration.

But the city’s beloved antique dealer will close its doors on December 31 as the owners embrace retirement.

The avid collectors of all things antique could be found scouring the tables at antique fairs in the early ‘80s looking for unique pre-loved items to add to their growing collection.

Soon they were roped into manning a table for a ‘trader friend’ from Boksburg North and as they say, the rest is history.

Uncle Tim’s Cabin first opened its doors to the public on April 1, 1987, at the Benoni Plaza selling and restoring antiques.

At the time, Tim was only 30 years old and joked that as he grew older he grew into the ‘uncle’ bit.

“Back then, the plaza was the consumer hub of the city; the jewel of Benoni abuzz with shoppers,” said Brain.

“Families would flock to local restaurants and couples could be seen walking hand-in-hand.”

As their operations expanded and the demand for restoration to antique furniture grew, Uncle Tim’s Cabin extended its operations to what was known as the rondawel in High Road.

Continuing with buying and selling antiques at the plaza, most of the restoration was moved to this property in 1988.

In 1992, the pair jumped at the opportunity to purchase the property next to the rondawel, which became known as Uncle Tim’s Centre, where the cabin ultimately moved to.

“The property had three existing buildings, which lent itself to shops, which we then developed for five years,” said Tim.

“When not in the shop Brian worked in the gardens, creating the ‘secret garden’ with his magnificent green thumbs.”

The popularity of the cabin continued to grow, which Brian believes can be attributed to their objective of ensuring that all the trinkets and furniture of years gone by were well displayed.

“We always strived to maintain a high standard of stock and attention to detail,” said Tim.

“There is something intimate about antiques. The pieces were well made by skilled workers, the manufacturing process took hours and required the artisan’s full attention.

“Trends come and go. Modern minimalistic living is all the rage at this stage but those furnishings can never be matched by hand-made items that have withstood the test of time.”

Brian agreed, stating that antiques have the unique ability to seamlessly slot into any decorative trend, adding warmth and comfort.

Reminiscing about the many items that have exchanged hands over the past three decades, Tim says that they happened across a stack of postcards that were forgotten in an old traveller’s trunk.

“The postcards dated back to WW1 and were communications between a soldier and his betrothed,” said Tim.

“The messages gave an insight into a time long forgotten. We never did find out if they were reunited.”

After selling Uncle Tim’s Centre in a bid to scale down, Brian and Tim moved the cabin to Green Thumbs Nursery, Northmead, and opened the old shed doors to their new home, on September 1, 2020.

From its new location, the owners continued to live their passion.

“Every piece or item has a story to tell. By reusing, restoring and repurposing these items we are ensuring that its stories will continue through to another generation,” said Tim.

“This will ensure that we remain connected to those that came before us.”

Upon closing the shed door for the last time at Green Thumbs Nursery, Tim and Brian hope to spend more time in the bush.

“Brian will most probably continue with his vegan cooking and baking and my love for antiques will never be extinguished,” said Tim.

“If not in the bush, we will remain in Benoni as it has been our home for more than 35 years and we love our community very much,” said Brian.

From November 17 to December 31 almost all stock at the cabin will be marked down by 30% in an everything-must-go sale.

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