salem, massachusetts
OUR STORY
Circus Lane is a new antique/vintage shop in Salem, Massachusetts, a city with a long history of outstanding American architecture, antiques, and unique collectibles. We pride ourselves on our historic setting, helpful and knowledgeable staff as well as the diverse offerings of our talented vendors--innovators of The Derby Square Flea Salvage Art Market and dealers from Pickering Wharf Antiques Gallery.
Our new multi-dealer shop will feature vintage & antique goods, fashion, collectibles, architectural salvage, as well as jewelry, art, and crafts representative of long practiced New England traditions. Come discover a distinctive piece for your home, the perfect gift or a rare Salem artifact. We hope to delight you with our collections.​
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Located steps from the McIntire Historic District in the heart of Salem containing one of the most significant concentrations of eighteenth and nineteenth century buildings in the United States, CIRCUS LANE is an easy walk from the MBTA station with plenty of free parking. This quiet area of the city is home to a local diner, a couple of pizza shops, a new cider distillery and a specialty coffee shop, so add them into your plans for a vintage shopping day with friends.
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CIRCUS LANE
Our shop is located on the corner of Hathorne Street, which in the early days of Salem history was called Circus Lane, a path bordering fields that were rented out for circus performances. Just imagine the caramel smell of sugar burning on the cotton-candy machines or the faint reek of wood shavings and dust shaken out of faded tents. The circus offered something outside of the ordinary and mundane. Something our new shop experience surely offers.
OLD BET
Our logo fondly gives a nod to majestic “Old Bet”, the first elephant brought to the United States by Captain Jacob Crowninshield of Salem in April 1796 on the ship America. Crowninshield was a member of the hugely successful Crowninshield & Sons of Salem shipping company. As the story goes, the crew of the America realized quickly after setting sail that this elephant was drinking all of the water on board. They quickly switched her diet to beer, and when she arrived stateside she was drunk. That did not diminish Old Bet’s popularity, though. She was eventually taken on tour with the circus. She was exhibited in Salem, Beverly, Marblehead, Boston, and New York.
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