How to Shop Vintage in Miraflores
A look inside Antigüedades El Kerubin in Miraflores, Lima.
There’s something about shopping antiques, especially in another country.
My passion for vintage / secondhand initially sprung from necessity. As a broke college student in the height of the Great Recession, decorating my apartment with Goodwill finds was the only option. Over the years, like many of my generation, I fell in love with mid-century design. I also learned there was so much more nuance. Bauhaus. Brutalism. Art Nouveau. Art Deco. I’m of the mindset that good design is timeless.
The more I travel, the more my home is filled with unique relics and finds from across the globe. I made the decision several years ago to only buy décor second-hand or from the artist directly. It has yet to steer me wrong.
I wanted to shop vintage during my time in Lima.
Something I learned during my time in Peru is that the Miraflores neighborhood isn’t exactly a shopping hub. It’s not that you can’t find stores. Oxxo and Tambo are everywhere. I walked past multiple Starbucks. Larcomar is a wonderful mall with every outlet you could need. There are even a few souvenir shops in the vicinity, though I find that kind of language anathema. (I did not fly twelve hours to Lima just to buy a trinket made in China!)
There are certainly places to buy vintage in Miraflores, but it takes some searching.
Where are the vintage shops in Miraflores?
You’re going to want to stick with Avenue La Paz. I started south and walked my way north, though either direction would work. If you go north to south, keep in mind the road you’ll begin on is called Calle Alfonso Ugarte.
It’s an educated guess of mine that this area has antique stores because there is a stretch of joyerías along the street. It would make sense for relics of the past to be tucked in alongside places that buy and sell precious metals.
Arte y Antigüedades La Linea del Tiempo
Address: Av. la Paz 640, Miraflores 15074, Peru
This shop was delightful. There were paintings of saints that looked decades old, alongside jewelry and traditional pottery. A great first stop on your trip!
Pan de Oro (?)
Address: Av. la Paz 158, Miraflores 15074, Peru
Take this with a grain of salt. I’m not entirely sure on the name, and you won’t find it on Google, last I checked. This store was a delight to pop into. There are incredible relics to be found in between heavy armoires of solid, old-growth wood. There was a hanging calendar in the back, written in kanji. It looked to be a calendar, bearing the likeness of the Japanese Imperial family. Too cool. If only I’d had room in my carry-on for it.
El Centauro Antigüedades
Address: C. Alfonso Ugarte 146, Miraflores 15074, Peru
Another little gem tucked away. There was an original style telephone for sale, the kind made out of a wooden box with a cast-iron speaking cone and listening device on a wire. There were little holy relics for Catholics and all sorts of amazing trinkets.
Antigüedades Nataly
Address: C. Alfonso Ugarte 214, Lima 15074, Peru
This place leaned a bit more into the higher-end of art, antiques, and collectables. Still a worth-while place to pop in on your antiquing adventures.
Antigüedades El Kerubin
Address: C. Alfonso Ugarte 233, Miraflores 15074, Peru
I saved the best for last, not only because it was my favorite store, but because it’s the place I actually bought something. Be aware, they only take Soles (and I’m sure some of the other shops may have similar restrictions).
Antigüedades El Kerubin is a gem, with so many marvels and wonders. The floors are covered in old oriental rugs. I picked up a packet of old papers, covered in crests and stamps and beautiful cursive Spanish writing. What ultimately caught my eye was a vintage Minolta SR-T 101 camera with additional lens.
I don’t know if it works. If it’s broken, I don’t know if it can be fixed. All I know is I bartered $40 USD for it. If I got fleeced, I don’t care because it looks beautiful and has a wonderful story. At a bare minimum, it can go into my collection of beautiful looking film cameras.
If you’re going to Lima and looking for an afternoon of antique-shopping, I hope my research helps you! Enjoy Peru — there’s much to see, explore, and experience.
