It’s not quite a junk shop, but it’s too informal to count as an antique store. While there may be books, it’s not a book store either, and calling it a thrift store feels wrong. There’s little to definitively categorise or unify its oddities. Much easier to pinpoint is the origin of the phrase “curiosity shop”, a term first popularised by Charles Dickens, in his novel The Old Curiosity Shop, home to a Ms. Nell Trent and her grandfather, at least until their fortunes take a turn for the worse. Online antique stores are e-commerce platforms that focus on selling antiques, collectibles and vintage items. These stores offer a wide variety of items, from jewelry to furniture to porcelain, and often make it easy for shoppers to view and purchase antiques from around the world.