Tiffany Gift Shop to close in Harrowsmith

Jeff Green | Mar 25, 2015

As she approaches her 70th birthday, Ann Elvins, who has been the owner of the Tiffany Gift Shop in Harrowsmith for 16 years, says “It's time to dance”.

There never has been a problem with the store, she said. It has been well supported by the community since she took it over.

“I enlarged the store quite a bit. It was a two room store when I bought it and I added another room and a garage and brought in new products, but it kept the same feel as it had when I bought it, which was what I wanted to do,” she said.

She has also been able to support a number of charities with the store, including the African Grandmothers, for whom she has hosted an annual plant sale on the front lawn; the Women for Afghanistan; the Cattail Festival; Harrowsmith Public School and others.

But now it is time to wrap things up and retire, and all this month she's been selling off her stock in advance of a final sale on Saturday, where everything that is left will go for 50% off.

“It's bittersweet because the shop has been a great joy to me, but some of those one-day buying trips to Toronto and other parts of running an ongoing business are no longer things I want to deal with,” she said.

Ann Elvins is not planning to move from her house, which is attached to the store. She will be approaching the township for a permit to convert the store into a senior's apartment and will be able to enjoy more of the activities in the local community now that she will have more free time.

“I'm not going anywhere. If you see me on the lawn or in the garden, honk and I'll wave,” she said.