In its 50 years, customers have come from all over the UK to Letham craft shop for every possible item connected to their myriad of hobbies.
From cake decorating to calligraphy and dolls houses to decoupage, the treasure trove on Auldbar Road has it all.
And if Helene and Bill Sturrock didn’t have it, they would get it for you.
It was a runaway recipe for success – along with the famous pancakes Bill still makes every day at the age of 89.
He is the oldest living Lethamite in Angus’ largest village.
And on Thursday Bill served those famous pancakes up as a treat for craft shop customers and a tribute to his beloved wife, exactly 50 years to the day since she turned her hobby into a business.
Helene Sturrock was inspiration behind busy shop
Helene died in January 2023, aged 85.
So it was a celebration tinged with sorrow as Bill looked back on the success story of his wife’s cottage business which grew into a crafting phenomenon.
“Helene used to make soft toys for the Leprosy Mission but often found it difficult to get materials,” said Bill.
“She thought other people would be in the same position and that’s how it all started.
“So she decided to set up a shop for all kinds of crafts.
“And if someone came in looking for something and we didn’t have it, then we would try to get it for them.
“It worked back then and it’s still working for us now.”
Bill recounts one tale illustrating the lengths the shop – and its customers – would go to.
“Quite early on we actually had one lady come from York and the only thing she wanted was cracker snaps,” he said.
“You weren’t allowed to send them through the post because they were considered as explosive.
“So she called up, found out we had them and came to Letham just for them.
“Folk have come to us from all over Scotland.
“And our customers have become our friends.”
Hard-working couple devoted to craft business
The craft shop was set up in a cottage adjoining the house the couple lived in for their entire married life.
Its tight confines added to the attraction for customers as they combed the packed shelves for the starting or finishing touch to their craft project.
And if they couldn’t lay their hand right on it, then Helene or Bill knew exactly where it would be.
Bill spent his working life as a joiner and undertaker in the business started by his father, Robert.
It used to operated from the old steeple off The Square in Letham.
In 1988 he hung up his tools to help Helene full-time in the craft shop.
The couple devoted all their time to the shop, and craft demonstrations across Angus and beyond.
Popular cafe and its famed pancakes
The remarkable journey has included developing a highly-popular cafe and the shop now employs 13 staff.
The couple’s son, Bill Jnr, leads the business.
But Bill Snr is up every morning to drop that famous pancake mix into the pan – and make his equally famed homemade soup.
“After we opened the shop we thought it would be good to be able to offer them a cup of tea and a cake,” added Bill.
“We’ve built up the cafe since it opened and it’s really popular.
“I make my pancakes every day – on pancake day this year I think it was 172 because we made one for every customer.”
He added: “When Helene first started the shop some people said it would never work.
“So I think we’ve done not bad in proving them wrong.”
Conversation