Jug & Basin: Our Story

Jan 17

Where it started was more than just a time. It’s become our story.

The original JUG & BASIN opened in the late 1960s as an antique shop in a small (at that time) village in Ontario, Canada. It began when an enterprising young mother of four, Raylene Murphy, decided to follow her passion of preserving and selling antique furniture and collectibles. With her father by her side the two trolled farm and other auction sales to gather furniture, silver, and china to load the shelves of this small local shop. The JUG & BASIN soon became a community gathering place, a staple for collectors. Over the decades, it was a shop that focused on material aspects Canada’s past.

*Raylene Murphy at Stouffville Flea Market in the 1970s.*

Raylene, one of 11 children, shared her enterprise with anyone in the family who was interested. Her daughter Maureen worked there on weekends from the age of 12. Her brother Michael Rowan discovered his passion for Canadian folk art and Ukrainian pioneer furniture and later would go on to write two books on the subject. (Check our books section.) An expert in the field, he would be featured on the Canadian Antiques Road Show. Antiques and interiors were in their blood. The antique business would pass from sister to sister. Eventually the little shop would close, as did most other antique shops.

“It is no longer out with the old and in with the new, but reimagine the old and pair with the new.”

— Maureen Wideman

After many years working for corporations, Raylene’s granddaughter Stephanie, along with her mother Maureen, have reopened the online doors of the JUG & BASIN. With an eye on sustainability, the re-envisioned JUG & BASIN blends the gorgeous lines of modern with vintage inspired pieces. It is no longer “out with the old and in with the new,” but “reimagine the old and pair with the new.” The shop features a blend of modern and antique, beautifully created textiles, blown glass and original art. The JUG & BASIN is open again, continuing the family tradition, and the legacy of women entrepreneurs.