Gift store in Arthur closing after 18 years

ARTHUR – “Eclectica… the Gift Store” will be closing at the end of July, after more than 18 years in Arthur.

“The last day that we have a debit machine is July 25,” said owner Mitch Keirstead.

“We have to have the store emptied by July 28, and we are slashing prices. Everything has got to go, including all of the shelving.”

Keirstead said prices on nearly every item in the store have been reduced, the vast majority by 50 per cent or more.

The store sells custom dried creations, Canadian pottery, jewelry, unique home treasures, original paintings by Keirstead, gourmet foods and gift baskets and gift certificates, among other items.

Keirstead, who co-owns the store with his wife, Grace, has been a longtime supporter of Canadian artists. Before opening the store, he worked as a full-time artist for over 30 years.

In 2003, the Keirstead’s bought an existing gift store in Arthur, which was called “Village Greetings and Gifts.”

They transformed the content in the store to add Canadian artisans and changed the name to “Village Gallery… the Gift Store.”

Three years later, they added a second store in Mannheim, Ontario. Grace Keirstead ran this store under the name “Eclectica… the Gift Store.”

In 2009, the Arthur store moved to its current location at 147 George Street and changed its name to match the store in Mannheim.

Keirstead said the store has been able to support over 200 Canadian artisans through the last 18-plus years.

“One of the fabulous things about having a store in a small town is that everyone knows your name immediately, and surprisingly, you learn a ton of names and in some cases, you become friends (with customers),” he said.

“Moving into a small town, you won’t be an outsider for long, and that’s what we found. We came here in 2003, and it was almost immediate that people called me by name.”

Keirstead said the biggest effect of pandemic closures has been the amount of stock still in the store.

“We were always known for having a ridiculously extensive stock, usually over 30,000 items,” Keirstead said.

“We have 3,500 feet of display space and we’ve always kept it jam-packed.”

Keirstead added the store still has a large amount of stock and very attractive prices with most items being 50% off.

He said he plans on returning to painting full time once the store closes at the end of July.

“Certainly, unlike a lot of retirees, I won’t just be attending our grandkids’ sporting events, which of course I still will do,” he said.

“I painted full time for over 30 years, and over the last 18 and a half, it’s kind of suffered from not having enough time.”