Retro Spective

The David N. White Gallery is something of a local institution to the inhabitants of Te Aro valley in Wellington. The shop - or gallery - is a shrine to the recent past; to all things retro and to anything you could imagine that's been pre-owned.

David White is the proprietor and single sales assistant in his deceptively large shop. From the street front the gallery looks like small second hand store, but as you make your way through the stacks of books and racks of clothing to the front desk, there's another room beyond; full of furniture, glassware, and ceramics. It's the kind of place you could happily be lost in for hours - but at great cost - the longer you linger, the more there is to find.

David has a batch of regular treasure hunters - each searching for something special. There's a feeling of community within the shop and lots of enthusiastic banter between David and his regulars.

Lucy Orbell spent a day at the David N. White gallery and learnt about some of the eccentricities it takes to run a gallery of the recycled.