When James Barrington was young, he’d go up to Lebanon, New Hampshire, every summer with his family. There, he’d have to do chores like any other kid, but when his parents would compensate him for the chores, they told him he’d have to leave the money in jars there or spend it while they were up north.

Not one to let the money sit for too long, Barrington, who was 8 or 9 at the time, started antiquing.

Barrington said he’d join his parents when they’d go out looking for interesting, old items, and as a youngster, he began to amass a collection that would eventually help fill up an entire store.

In November of 2014, Barrington opened Village Merchant in the old Post Office building on Elm Street in Padanaram along with partner Lisa Blanchard.

“I’ve been antiquing all my life,” said Barrington, who spent a good part of his career as an administrator with Eye Health Associates in Dartmouth. “Once it gets in your blood, you’re hooked.”

Dartmouth Week recently visited Barrington at Village Merchant and asked him to pick out some of the most interesting items in the store, which also operates as a “quality consignment” shop.

Howe Scale Company Balance Scale: Made it Rutland, Vermont, the scale can weigh up to 23,000 pounds. Barrington said he found the scale, which he thinks was used for either steel or granite between 1890 and 1910, about eight years ago while antiquing with his father.

“It was on the floor buried in the back of this old shop, and when I went to get my father to come look at it, someone else was looking at it,” said Barrington. “I waited there acting like I was looking at other items, and when he went to go get his wife, I grabbed it up.”

“It’s unusual,” he added. “I've never seen a scale that could weigh that much.”

1952 Jeep M38: Normally seen parked outside the shop, Barrington got the jeep from his father, who he said has restored more than 15 similar military-style jeeps at his home in North Carolina.

Barrington said people come “out of the woodwork” when they see him cruising in the open-air vehicle.

“It’s completely rebuilt,” said Barrington, “I brought it up here about two years ago, and it’s been inspected, it’s titled and registered. It runs great.”

1856 Map of Dartmouth: Barrington said the map, which features not only the town but several old buildings that still exist today, was recently brought in by a consigner.

“It’s the oldest local map I’ve ever seen," he said, noting that he also has a hand-drawn map of Spain in the store from the 1500s.

Headlights from a 1931 V16 Cadillac: “It’s a very rare car, and these are in exceptionally good shape,” he said. “It’s a half a million dollar car. If you have a guy who needs ‘em, you can name your price.”

“They’re highly unusual,” he added.

Besides the collectibles, another staple of the shop, or the sidewalk in front of it, is Barrington’s pug, Dozer.

“Everybody who comes by knows Dozer,” he said, noting that the dog often goes for walks with neighborhood children. “People have come to expect him here.”

There are also a few antiques in the shop that he won’t ever part with, including an old stop light, as well as original sign from the former Padanaram Post Office.

“That sign belongs to the building,” he said.

So far, Barrington said the store, which was also formerly The Packet, longtime clothing store in the Village, has gotten positive feedback.

“It’s been great,” he said. “The people really love it, and it’s unique to the Village, in essence.”