CELTIC TREASURE CHEST: A Taste of Home Story by Sarah Gordon
Photos by Sandra Steier & Carolynne Palla
It has been seven years since Cristina Ciccone and Stephen Coulson purchased Celtic Treasure Chest. As regular customers, they counted on the shop for its fine assortment of products from the United Kingdom. They brought their kids there when they were young to introduce them to Stephen’s British heritage. When they discovered Steve and Lil McVittie were selling the business, Stephen and Cristina started stocking up on products. Then, they had an idea; they ran through a “what if we bought the business” scenario. While neither had retail experience, they loved the shop and wanted to ensure it continued. Like Stephen, many of their customers hail from Great Britain and are searching for products the couple miss from home. DunbarLife.com
Seeing, smelling, or tasting a particular food can take people to another place and time. Stephen says, “I like to refer to the shop as my nostalgia emporium, and it’s true that sometimes people are surprised to see something that they haven’t seen in a while, although many come in with a pretty good idea of what they are looking for.” “A few years back, a gaggle of young women came in. As soon as they set foot inside, they were squealing excitedly. I could hear them going from aisle to aisle, giggling and shrieking in delight as they recognized various items. When they got to the counter, I asked them how long they’d been in Vancouver,
November 15, 2023 - February 15. 2024
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