Claremont's Kay's Antiques closes its doors after 65 years of cherished memories

Kay’s Antiques in Claremont is finally closing its doors at the end of the month after 65 years in operation.

Kay’s Antiques was opened in 1960 by Kathryn Derrimen, whose aunt initially left her £100.

Kathryn, who became known as Kay, would use the money to open a bric-a-brac shop, Kay’s Nic-Nax, on Ralph Street in Claremont.

According to Kay’s daughter and current owner, Nicky Smit, the business began modestly in Ralph Street, later moving through several locations as it grew.

It moved to Station Road, then to the Main Road opposite St Saviour’s Church, then to the corner of Belvedere and Keurboom Roads. After a brief stop at The Link, the shop finally found its long-term home in Cavendish Square in 1983.

Ms Smit said the transition into a large shopping mall was, at the time, a daunting leap of faith.  “Rentals were ten times higher, the trading hours were longer, and I had two very young children to take care of,” she said. Ms Smit said they needed extra staff. “Fortunately, the increase in foot traffic brought in the turnover we needed to make it all work. It was a nerve-wracking period, but also one that shaped the business for the decades to come,” she said. 

Ms Smit said the company also had to deal with the antique jewellery market's changes. “Prices were soaring, and genuine antique pieces were becoming affordable only to a much wealthier clientele,” she said. 

In order to counter, the store created a new range of custom-designed antique-style jewellery made in silver and gold, crafted exclusively for its store.  “This line offered the vintage look that customers loved, but at a more accessible price,” she said.

Ms Smit said that this product became a mainstay that helped the company to be one of the few independent stores in Cavendish Square.

Her parents, Stanley Derrimen, died in 2001, and her mother, Kay Derrimen, died in 2015.

After being a family-run business for 65 years, which Ms Smit has been part of for 52 years, it became time for her to step back. “It's with mixed emotions that I now prepare to close this chapter. My two sons have their own careers, and it feels like the right time to take a step back and enjoy a little more freedom,” she said. 

Ms Smit said her lifelong passion has always been cats, and these days she pours her time and energy into working with the Animal Welfare Society in Hermanus, where she now lives.

Ms Smit said they were proud of what the store achieved. She said her mother was a pioneer at a time when women rarely ran their own businesses. “ My father later joined her in the shop. Their work ethic and integrity shaped everything I’ve done since,” she said.