Popular antique and vintage collectables shop re-opens in Kirkcaldy

Methuselah’s has re-launched in the premises previously occupied by the old tobacconists at 310 High Street next to the Nepalese restaurant Annapurna.

It opened last weekend after a successful pop up shop at the former HSS Hire Shop next to the flats at the harbour’s Williamson’s Quay.

The business is owned by Johnny Sinclair (56) who decided to open up a permanent base again for Methuselah’s in the High Street as a result of the hugely positive response from locals.

It sells items like Georgian furniture, vintage ceramics, paintings and drawings by amateur artists as well as work by Kirkcaldy calligrapher Tom Gourdie and silver cutlery from the former much-loved Kirkcaldy tearoom and restaurant, The Green Cockatoo.

He said: “I initially just had it as a pop-up shop to see what the response would be but because it went so well I am now in Coventry’s old tobacconists on the High Street. The reaction has utterly blown me away.

"I have met many old customers I have not seen for 20 years. 16 hour days do not seem like work at all!”

Methuselah's first opened in 1991 in Commercial Street. Johnny, who is originally from Pathhead in Kirkcaldy, explained where the unusual name came from: “I had a list of around 40-50 names I was going to call it and then my dad knocked on my door late one night and he said “Methuselah’s that’s a good name for a shop!” and that was it,” he said.

Johnny continued: "I had a stall at the Barras with a pal before I decided to open a shop in Commercial Street where I was for six years. I then got the opportunity to move into premises in the High Street (the shop now occupied by Forth Music just along from Betty Nicols pub) in 1997.

"It was a great shop and really busy. I was there a year until the roof of the shop caved in one night. I ended up closing the shop and moving to New Zealand where I have lots of relatives.”

Johnny did various jobs while living there before coming back to Kirkcaldy.

When he returned he opened up another vintage antiques shop in the Olympia Arcade but he closed the premises after a year as it didn’t get the same footfall as his previous shop on the High Street.

He went on to do stand up comedy for a time in Edinburgh and did shows with Reg Anderson, Frankie Boyle and Johnny Vegas on the circuit before returning to taxi driving.

He opened another shop in St Andrews from 2010 to 2012 and after that he continued buying and selling items until an opportunity came up three weeks ago to re-open Methuselah’s in the High Street.

He said: “Experts from the BBC’s Antiques Road Trip are coming up to the shop at some point too, so Merchants Quarter will be seen by millions on prime television.

He added: "I hope with all my heart that my shop will have a positive effect on Kirkcaldy. It’s a great community here and coming back is the best thing I have ever done.”

Thank you for reading this story on our website. In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspapers - the Fife Free Press, Fife Herald, St Andrews Citizen and East Fife Mail.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the highest standards in the world. The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news by buying a copy of our newspaper. Thank you

Allan Crow, Editor, Fife Free Press