In the Hallmark store business for over 20 years, Don and Dee Belcher have brought their expertise to a new enterprise in form of the Trends and Traditions store at Canterbury Village.
Their goal is to open the eyes of local residents to Canterbury Village as more than just a “Christmas place.”
“People, a lot of the time, think of (Canterbury) as a Christmas destination, when in fact there are 18 specialty shops unrelated to Christmas,” said Don.
“It’s the best kept everyday little secret out there,” Dee said.
The Belchers, Wood Haven residents, held a grand opening for the store in late Sept., after beginning work on its transformation last January. They spent the first six months learning their customers and their needs.
They first learned about Canterbury Village from a sales manager who was also acquainted with Stan Aldridge, founder of the village.
“Mr. Aldridge was looking for someone to take this store on, and he liked our vision,” said Don. “We have 10,000 square feet with two floors (including an elevator).”
The downstairs now offers home decor accessories on one side (formerly the location of Boyd’s Bears), and a garden accessories shop on the other side (formerly a jewelry store).
“Before, if you didn’t want a bear or a diamond, you were out of luck,” Don said. “The strength of our Hallmark business has always been decorative accents. We weren’t familiar with the area, so we took our time…Mr. Aldridge drove us around.”
The Belchers noticed a lot of new homes in the area and though maybe those residents would like an alternative place to shop for home decor.
“Downstairs we wanted to have 3-4 distinct rooms; decorative accents, home decor, and indoor/outdoor garden accessories…the garden accessories has probably been the best received,” said Don. “Upstairs, we offer fresh new lines and some that we’ve had past history with.”
There are also plenty of greeting cards, in a wide price, style and occasion-range, to choose from up stairs.
“Instead of going to the mall, if you need a card and a gift, you can stop here,” Dee said. “Our cards are all priced the same as they are at places like Meijer. We have 45-cent cards up to nicer cards, addressing every occasion.
“You can satisfy all your needs in one trip,” she said.
Shopping at Trends and Traditions and the other stores in Canterbury offers a hectic-free, unique experience with easy parking and “hometown hospitality,” said the Belchers.
The store has plenty of gifts to choose from, including those for sports fans, jewelry, candles, and much more.
“We have inexpensive gifts for people on a budget…one of the frequent comments is the affordability of even our higher end gifts,” Dee said.
“It’s a real challenge because you almost have to have a little bit of everything, while not becoming too fragmented,” added Don.
The store offers a line of framed pictures from Picture Gallery of Idaho, jewelry by Oliver Webber, and candles from Colonial, Root and Old Virginia, along with candle accessories by the Lang Company.
Don said they are trying not to “overlap” with products offered by the other shops in Canterbury.
“(The shops) have formed a Merchant’s Association in Canterbury and we’re working collectively with advertising and event planning,” he said.
Trends and Traditions is open Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; and 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on Sunday.
The store is located in the clocktower building and the phone number is 391-5734.