The beloved Twigs and Teacups is back open at 111 S. Cross Street just in time for the holidays.
The popular gift shop known for its quirky array of treasures had been temporarily moved to High Street while renovations took place.
For Paul, Jayne, and daughter Erin Heckles, it has been a year of decisions, toil, and patience as they and their building team headed by Taylor Loughry Construction gutted the 1922 brick building, removing the warren of unused second-floor offices and opening up the ceiling to its original rafter structure.
“We’ve been kind of the Three Musketeers through thick and thin, and we are just happy to share this with you,” Paul Heckles said during the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Originally built by the Gill brothers for their ice cream factory, Heckles notes that the original plan called for the second floor to remain open for community dances and other social events. This tradition continued for 25 years or more. Today it has been opened as their second-floor gift display area, complete with an elevator.
After the Gill brothers, a succession of owners used the space for various businesses until 1997, when April Marshall moved her small Twigs and Teacups gift shop into the building from across the street.
“It was April who brought together Twigs and Teacups and this location and created a cherished home away from home in Chestertown for almost three generations.”
The Spy met with the Heckles last week to talk about their year renovating the building and continuing the legacy of one of the region’s most charming gift shops.
The Heckles’ original intention was only to renovate the front of the building. “It was like peeling an onion,” Heckles says. One thing led to another until the structure was down to its shell.
A year later, the newly designed front entrance opens into the new Twigs and Teacups, and while you might be amazed by the dramatic change, you will still feel its intimacy and find that unique gift for that birthday party you almost forgot.
This video is approximately six minutes in length. To find out more about Twigs and Teacups please go here.
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