“Why is there a barbershop in your museum?” ...Because our museum started in a barbershop! In 1979 the town barber, Alex Dufresne, convinced the town council to purchase the red bricked house on 107 Lansdowne St. that had once belonged to Dr. Allan Roy Dafoe, the physician to the Dionne Quintuplets, and turn it into a community museum. Alex donated his photograph collection, various antiques, and his actual barbershop (chairs, sinks, mirrors and all!) to start the museum’s collection. Today, this collection has expanded to include artefacts related to the Dionne Quintuplets, the shipping industry on Lake Nipissing, the sawmills around Callander Bay, and the general history of Callander. In 1994, an addition was added and named the Alex Dufresne Gallery in honour of our founder. The space hosts 5 different art exhibitions each year featuring local and area artists. We are open year-round and we hope you will visit!

At Vested Interest Trading, our mission is simple: to import hand-made goods from around the world, to engage in Fair Trade and sustainable practices and to support global economies by working with artisan families in countries like Indonesia, Thailand, and Nepal. Since 1993, we have travelled across the world in search of unique and intriguing goods. Come see what exciting things we've found!