On any given morning, pass by the sandstone forecourt of The Lost and Found Department in Hunters Hill and you’re likely to see an apron-bedecked shopkeeper arranging a barrel full of brooms or unloading a fresh delivery of potted perennials.

It’s a remarkably nostalgic scene, one that might have been captured 150 years ago, yet it has become a welcome and familiar sight for locals in this leafy harbourside pocket.

The shopkeeper behind the apron is Silvia Noble, a Hunters Hill resident who opened her shop in Alexandra Street in 2018, first in a building across the road before moving to Garibaldi Village Square in 2023.

This storybook plaza, with its golden sandstone buildings and lush tree canopies, is a perfect home for The Lost and Found Department. Both showcase a profound appreciation for heritage.

The village square is named for the historic Garibaldi Hotel, a corner landmark that still stands as proudly as when it was first built by Italian immigrant John Cuneo in the 1860s.

Meanwhile, The Lost and Found Department champions bygone beauty through a curated mix of antiques, vintage and carefully chosen new home goods, fashion, gifts and consumables sourced locally or imported – mostly from Europe, with a particular focus on France.

It’s a selection that resonates well with this peninsula enclave, which has had an affinity for the continent since Frenchman Didier Joubert settled in Hunters Hill in 1847.

“The Lost and Found Department marries my love of pieces with age and character (‘lost’) with the practicality of new finds (‘found’) covering as many ‘departments’ as you would normally find in a much larger establishment,” says Silvia.

“We’re not a hospitality business, but so much of what we do is about hospitality. It’s important that visitors feel as though they are entering a unique and personal space, which is probably why I’ve found it so hard to even hang a store sign out the front.”

Eschewing many of the classic commercial branding touchstones, Silvia cultivates her signature ‘Lost and Found’ ambience through scents, music, foliage, and texture, designing moments that inspire visitors to wander and explore. “We try to create an experience that leaves a little memory after folks have left. Of course, we have an online presence and attempt to translate all that what we do there, but I’m a shopkeeper at heart. My team and I thrive on that connection with our guests.”

Similarly to how the traditional 19^th century general store once served as a community hub connecting locals, news and events, The Lost and Found Department plays a valuable village role.

Whether it’s a painting workshop held in the RSL hall across the road, a Bastille Day themed event or Christmas market in the courtyard, the shop acts as community steward, engaging locals, and regulars, drawing visitors from afar, and enriching the streetscape with its inviting displays.

“Many customers will make a special trip across town or from further afield to visit our shop, and we always encourage them to explore the hidden gem that is our Hunters Hill hamlet,” says Silvia. “Its tree-lined streets and picket fence laneways offer a keen eye so much joy. Gardens in full view, not hidden behind high walls that have become the norm in many Sydney suburbs. Weatherboard cottages sitting happily alongside historic and stately sandstone homes.”

Unsurprisingly, many custodians of these local residences are some of The Lost and Found Department’s most avid customers, bringing their homes and gardens to life with a layered mix of antiques and new finds. All while nurturing Hunters Hill’s inimitable village spirit.

The Lost and Found Department is located at 37 Alexandra Street, Hunters Hill or online at thelostandfounddepartment.com.au.