Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter

Donna Stephens tries out this sofa. Wonder if it met to her liking? - Photos by Peta-Gaye Clachar /Staff Photographer

THE AUCTION House (TAH), located in the Oakton Entertainment Complex on Hagley Park Road, is a new company where you can buy and sell goods in a more convenient way.

Customers can purchase items in three ways: live auction, web auction (where you're sitting at home, see an auction going online and send in your bids from the comfort of your abode), and direct purchase, where you see something on sale and just come on down with the cash, or pay online.

There's no GCT, so you already have one advantage over buying retail. The 'House' was launched last Sunday with the first public auction.

Teresa Lake, the young, bubbly managing director of TAH, described it as a virtual "one-stop shop for buyers and sellers of goods". According to Lake, the local manufacturers get direct access to their customers, they get to expand their business, and the inventory turnover into cash is is very quick. And it's not just for the big boys selling new stuff.

"There's not much of a market for used stuff," Lake pointed out. "We have so many things around the house we're not using and, as I like to say, if you don't throw it away, you give it away," she quipped. So, if you've got something lying around the house that you would like to get rid of, just carry it down and make some money off it. No need for the classifieds either; TAH will market it (whatever 'it' is) for you.

Scotiabank and Access Financial Services help financing for those who may not have the ready cash for a purchase. Before the live auction, special guests were treated to a reception in the Oakton complex's Limelight club. Mac's Gourmet Market provided the VIP eats and refreshments. The first live auction was held after, with bidders competing for various pieces of furniture and appliances.

Guests included: Tanya and Wayne Miller, Robert and Donna Stephens, Dr. Kim Brown and husband Brent Ciurlino, Larry Watson, Marcia Erskine, Karen Chang and Stephanie Scott.

Enjoying the pre-auction festivities are (from left) Simone Walker, Omar Ellis, Denise Coubry and Hughton Leslie.

Richard Lake (right) makes a point to (from left) Teresa Lake, Katia Villarino and Andres Barreyro at the opening of Auction House at Oakton Entertainment Complex.