Time change: Red Sleigh Inn Antiques shop turns to Tik Tok for new take in Medway
MEDWAY — Memorable gifts don’t always have to be delivered in a red sleigh but once a year.Judy Gilliatt-Gohs’s 18th-century home doubles as The Red Sleigh Inn Antiques, a shop that specializes in New England primitives. The home, which dates to 1776, fittingly features several pieces that give a peek into the era of the American Revolution: foot warmers, redware pottery, thumb bibles, and Samuel Ellis pewter plates. Judy Gilliatt-Gohs pulls down a pewter plate made in the 1700s by Samuel Ellis, a master pewterer. A whole family would have eaten off the plate. Jessica Rinaldi/Globe StaffWhen customers walk through the front door, many mistake the shop for a museum.“A lot of people tell me they feel like they’ve walked into a time machine,” Gilliatt-Gohs said. “That’s what it should be though.”More than an antique shop, the Red Sleigh Inn is a living record of early New England life. For over 30 years, Gilliatt-Gohs, 83, has preserved centuries-old household objects, prioritizing authenticity and history over modern trends.A hand-punched grater (center) and a blueberry rake (right) are among the 18th-century items at The Red Sleigh Inn Antiques. Jessica Rinaldi/Globe StaffDespite its name, the Red Sleigh Inn is not available for lodging. Gilliatt-Gohs and her husband, Jim Gohs, live on the floor over the shop. Gilliatt-Gohs has traveled across New England to find authentic pieces, curated items with rich backstories, and built a network of like-minded collectors.For decades, customers learned of the Red Sleigh through foot traffic or word-of-mouth. Now, as traditional antiques stores disappear and longtime customers age out, Gilliatt-Gohs’s granddaughter, Taylor, is utilizing social media to reach a younger audience who did not grow up around antiques. Taylor Gilliatt, 28, grew up visiting Judy’s house, a place like no other“There’s a ton of history in the house itself, and I feel like it’s an extension of the shop she’s curated,” she said. “The entire shop is almost like one of the pieces she’s collected.”In October, Gilliatt-Gohs asked her granddaughter to help her sell some primitives online in an attempt to reach a wider customer base. Judy Gilliatt-Gohs holds a pair of baby boots from the 1800s.Jessica Rinaldi/Globe StaffGilliatt-Gohs had a loyal customer base for decades, but as people have passed away, she’s had trouble regenerating business.While some antiques shops flocked to the web, Gilliatt-Gohs said shifting online was too difficult for her to navigate. Instead, Taylor took pictures of the shop’s antiques and posted a TikTok.In the following days, the video gathered a couple thousand likes and comments from people planning their visit.Online usernames quickly turned into new customers, Taylor said.“I whipped up the TikTok in like 15 minutes, and I posted that on a Sunday morning and by Monday it had maybe a thousand views,” Taylor said. “It was just niche enough to hit the right target audience.”A pair of baby boots from the 1800s displayed inside Red Sleigh Inn Antiques.Jessica Rinaldi/Globe StaffGilliatt-Gohs said that after Taylor posted the TikTok, more young people began visiting the store, marking a sharp contrast to her clientele in recent years, which skewed older.“I think there’s a resurgence in Gen Z, an interest in these things because everyone’s getting older and starting to take an interest,” Gilliatt-Gohs said. Her fascination stems from learning about history and the way people lived. Though there are hundreds of antiques in the Red Sleigh, Gilliatt-Gohs knows the history of each piece.“My mind looks at it, and I transfer back at some point when some woman was in the kitchen using this to make bread or meals for her family back in the late 1700s, early 1800s,” Gilliatt-Gohs said.In an era of consumerism, Gilliatt-Gohs has prioritized one-of-a-kind pieces over mass-produced copies.“Today, everyone can buy the same kinds of sneakers, but you can’t do that with this,” she said.A visit to Red Sleigh Inn Antiques in Medway is like stepping back in time. Jessica Rinaldi/Globe StaffThe network of collectors and sellers has also changed in recent years.Gilliatt-Gohs said there used to be 11 other antique stores in Medway and surrounding towns west of Boston, but now only the Red Sleigh and a shop in Holliston remain.“Some people have passed or moved away,” Gilliatt-Gohs said. “Everybody sells something totally different now.”Red Sleigh Inn Antiques opened in 1990 in a home that dates to 1776 on Main Street in Medway. Jessica Rinaldi/Globe StaffBut unlike other antique sellers, Gilliatt-Gohs has made little effort to change her business practices.“When I started this, I was alone, and I didn’t have any money,” Gilliatt-Gohs said. “Now I don’t want to hire somebody to help sell my stuff because they don’t know the history.”Despite shifting trends and a changing customer base, Gilliatt-Gohs is committed to keeping the Red Sleigh Inn rooted in authenticity. “To come in here and hold a piece, look at it, look for different indentations on it … you wouldn’t see that if you’re buying it online,” she said.For Gilliatt-Gohs, preserving history means inviting people to slow down, step inside, and touch the past for themselves. Tremont Street stoneware is for sale at Red Sleigh Inn Antiques in Medway. Jessica Rinaldi/Globe StaffA wooden bowl and jelly spoon at Red Sleigh Inn Antiques, which has a large collection of items dating to the American Revolution. Jessica Rinaldi/Globe StaffA barn lantern hangs in Judy Gilliatt-Gohs's living room, which is off of Red Sleigh Inn Antiques in Medway.Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff
