Tucked away down an alley off Victoria Street East is a little gem of a shop offering up alternative fashion and accessories, pop culture merchandise, incense, crystals, and mystical treasures. Just follow the signs and pop in the door to Once Again.
Mayor Small and members of Council popped in recently to meet store owner Amaury Van Weehaege and present him with a new business certificate, officially welcoming him to downtown Amherst since opening at the end of November last year.
We asked Van Weehaege (who likes to shorten his last name to VW) the best way to describe the types of items he’s curated for sale in his store.
“A lot of people say gothic, emo or witchy, but I feel like alternative kind of puts all that in that same category,” shared VW.
Do you like black apparel items like band t-shirts and spiky jewelry? How about browsing a huge variety of incense, candles, books and journals? That’s just scraping the surface of what you’ll find waiting for you at Once Again.
Mayor Rob Small was joined by members of Council to present Amaury Van Weehaege - owner of the style and décor shop Once Again - with a new business certificate, officially welcoming his business to downtown Amherst.
What are some of the owner’s favourite items on offer in the store? “Probably the cat plushies, and the diaphonized seahorses,” shared VW. Diaphonization is a process where bottled specimens become translucent, and neon. You’re got to see them.
“I base a lot of my inventory on what the people are looking for – give them what they want,” said VW, who is clearly enjoying his new career as an entrepreneur. He explained that the decision to start this business happened on a whim. While off from work in a previous job, he had his return date marked on the calendar and wondered what it would be like if he didn’t go back.
With this notion in mind, VW set off to answer some questions for himself. “I just did my research on how to start a business. I went to the CBDC and they gave me a lot of information, so that made my process a lot easier. Then I decided to take the plunge – not overthink it too much.”
We asked VW his favourite part of running a business in downtown Amherst. “The community. I’m surrounded by a lot of other small businesses that are very supportive, which is great. Even though this is a small place, I have the support of the people around me; everyone seems to support each other and send people our way.”
This spirit of community support works very well with VW’s own mantra, which is: “Don’t let anyone hold you back from following your dreams.” Dress how you want to, and decorate your space how you like – Once Again may just offer the vibe you’re searching for.
Find Once Again at 127 Victoria Street East – down the alley, entrance at the back of the building. Also accessible from the back parking lot of Dayle’s, to the left. Open Tuesday-Friday, 10-5; Saturday, 10-4. Check them out online at: www.oagain.ca
