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www.celtic-connection.com
NOVEMBER 2012
'This year is going to be a banner year,9 says Sherlock9s owner Andy Bradshaw
By CATHOLINE BUTLER
SHERLOCKS: The British Store recently installed a wall of jars of all the popular candies from the U.K. Andy Bradshaw is pictured above in front of the tempting sweet section.
EW WESTMINSTER - There is such a tempting array and selection of products at Sherlock's: The British Store in New Westminster, you need to take some time when you visit.
Not only are shelves filled with UK products but there are several glass cases which various merchants rent to display their merchandise.
These items range from antique jewellery and china to many unusual and unique items. If you're looking for a special gift, you'll probably find it at Sherlock's.
Owner Andy Bradshaw is busy unpacking crates of Christmas items from overseas these days with much more on the way.
British-born butcher Robert Goodrick of Goodricks Specialty Meat Products also has his shop at Sherlock's.
He supplies Sherlock's with all the traditional British pies, bacon, sausage, hams, black and white pudding and haggis. Goodricks Meat Products are also sold in many other specialty shops and by wholesale.
Robert was very busy the day I stopped by Sherlock's. He is stocking up and getting ready for the Christmas rush and preparing haggis for Hogmanay and Robbie Burns celebrations.
Always trying new recipes, Robert is working on a new pork and Guinness sausage, and the very popular traditional Christmas treat, Gala pork pies with the egg in them, which will be available this month.
"This year is going to be a banner year at Sherlock's," said Andy. "So many people have already pre-ordered for the holiday season.
"We have Christmas cakes and puddings from Marks and Spencer and we're very excited about having the rights to sell the popular UK Brown Betty tea pots.
"We have 12 kinds of Selection box chocolates from Galaxy, Fry's and Cadbury's.
"We also have some chocolates from Yorkshire such as the truffles and fudges. We'll see how these go and may keep bringing them in after the holiday season. Jaffa cakes are also very popular."
Along with soccer balls, Sherlock's stock one of the largest selection of British soccer club jerseys in Canada,
ANDY Bradshaw with some Goodricks haggis and specialty bacon.
"We also do a lot of gift baskets. When people don't know what to buy someone, they can give us an age group and what they want to spend and we make the baskets up for them. We generally throw in a $10 gift certificate as well. "
generally throw in a $ 10 gift certificate as well."
This is also a great idea for corporate customers and make a unique gift for all occasions and holidays.
"We also have a huge stock of all kinds of teas such as Bewley's, Barry's, Harrowgate and Yorkshire. Our biggest seller is Yorkshire red, with Barry's Irish tea second," said Andy.
"We've also just put in a wall of jars of all the popular candies from the U.K.
So we have lots of traditional British groceries along with many new items for the Christmas season."
Sherlock's: The British Store is located at 659 Columbia Street in New Westminster, B.C. For more information, call (604) 529-1999, or visit: www.thebritishstore.ca.
Orders for haggis, mince meat pies and other specialty U.K. products can be placed by calling Goodricks Wholesale at (778) 397-7833 or online at: www.goodricks.ca.
AMERGIN'S POEM
I am the wind which breathes upon the sea,
I am the wave of the ocean,
I am the murmur of the billows,
I am the ox of the seven combats,
I am the vulture upon the rocks,
I am a beam of the sun,
I am the fairest of plants,
I am the wild boar in valour,
I am the salmon in the water,
I am the lake in the plain,
I am a world of knowledge,
I am the point of the lance of battle,
I am the God who created the fire in
the head.
[This profound poem was declared by Amergin, chief poet of the Milesians, as he stepped ashore to take possession of the land that was to be known as Eire on behalf of his people.]
and they have a lot of new souvenir soccer items in for Christmas.
Andy said, "We also do a lot of gift baskets. When people don't know what to buy someone, they can give us an age group and what they want to spend and we make the baskets up for them. We
Steve and Li I McVittie just back from overseas with new Christmas stock
By CATHOLINE BUTLER VANCOUVER - Steve and Lil McVittie are owners of three Celtic Treasure Chest store locations in Vancouver, Delta and White Rock.
When I dropped in to visit them at their Dunbar store in Vancouver recently they had just returned from a well deserved holiday in England and Ireland.
They both spoke in glowing terms about how much they enjoyed their trip and the fond memories they will have. The trip was part business and part holiday.
I had the distinct impression that if Steve and Lil were offered tickets back to England and Ireland they would be on the next plane.
They loved The Swan pub in London which is reputed to have been the final drinking place for the victims of the 'Gibbet' Tyburn Gallows, now known as Marble Arch.
Notorious highwayman Claude Duval, active on the London to Uxbridge road, is alleged to have had his final drink in the pub before being hanged at Tyburn in 1670.
It has also been suggested that the terms 'one for the road' and 'on the wagon' were first coined there. The jailer would draw up with the prisoners cage outside and request 'one for the road'.
After the horses had pulled them away, men at the bar would say, "He's on the wagon," alluding to the fact that he would never drink again.
Steve and Lil also have fond memories of the Temple Bar pub in Dublin, where the friendly bartender reserved a seat for them at the bar and poured a Kilkenny when he saw them coming in the door.
Parcels of new merchandise had just arrived at Celtic Treasure Chest from Ireland when I spoke with Steve. They have many new suppliers with a wide array of new products expected for the Christmas season.
"When we went to England and Ireland we had the idea of revamping our stores," he said.
"Each of our stores cater to a different clientele so we were very fortunate to pick up five new suppliers in Ireland
LIL AND STEVE McVittie proudly display some of the newly arrived merchandise for the Christmas season from their new suppliers in Ireland.
triple A meat and so delicious. We're looking at gluten free sausages which will be pure meat with no gluten whatsoever."
Speaking about some the speciality items they are expecting for Christmas, he said, "We have the usual coming in - the cakes and Walkers Shortbreads.
"Of course, we will have haggis. Last January, we went through 900 pounds. This year we will have lots of haggis for New Year's Eve and Robbie Burns celebrations. There will be no need to pre-order haggis as we have great suppliers."
He said both he and Lil observed that none of the shops in England or Ireland carry the variety of teas stocked at Celtic Treasure Chest. He said, "We have English, Scottish, Irish and Welsh teas."
In closing, Steve said, "If any of our customers have suggestions as to how we can improve our line or add new products just let us know. We'll be back to England and Ireland in a minute." I have no doubt that they would.
The Celtic Treasure Chest locations are: White Rock at British Imports, 15557 Marine Drive (on east beach). Call (604) 538-2277, or visit: www.britishimportssweets.ca; Delta at British Imports, #14, 7550 River Road (Tilbury Park). Call (604) 940-5366, or visit:
www.britisheuropeanimports.ca; Vancouver at 5639 Dunbar Street (41s1 and Dunbar). Call (604) 261-3688, or visit: www.celtictreasurechest.ca.
STEVE McVittie holding some samples of the large selection of teas that the Celtic Treasure Chest carry from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
and three in England.
"In the springtime, we're going to go to Scotland as they have some excellent products and we need to make a trip there.
"We also plan to get more into gift and souvenirs which will be suitable for your Irish, Scottish and Welsh friends."
These gifts will evoke memories of home and your friends and loved ones will remember you each time they use that treasured gift.
Steve said, "We now have new meat pies that are just phenomenal. They are