Florissant welcomes Thistle and Clover Irish gift shop
Shannon Howard | Jun 10, 2010 | Comments 1
Opening day at Florissant's Thistle and Clover, featuring a lively Irish band
French, German and Spanish roots may run very deep in Old Town Florissant, but it’s people of Irish and Celtic ancestry who now have a shop there to call their own. Thistle and Clover Irish Gifts & Heraldry opened its second location recently in Florissant’s historic train depot, following more than six successful years in Old Town St. Charles.
Owners Rhonda and Jerry Dyer are actually longtime St. Charles residents, and admit they didn’t know much about North County before bringing their business here. But they came at the request of Florissant Mayor Bob Lowery.
“The mayor approached us because there was no Irish or Celtic shop in the area, and he felt there was a need for one,” Rhonda says. “So I started doing research on the Internet and was surprised to find that there are actually quite a few Irish and Celtic people in North County.”
The Dyers were also drawn to the history of the old train depot, which was built in 1878 for the Narrow Gauge Railroad – a line that connected Florissant to St. Louis. The building where their St. Charles store is located dates from the 1700s. “And we just love that,” Rhonda says.
Historic Florissant, Inc. purchased the depot in 1967 for $1, eventually turning it over to the city in 2005. Over the years, it has housed a number of businesses, none of which lasted very long.
“We think the building is a great fit for us…lots of character, perfect size,” Rhonda says. “And we hope we can draw plenty of people to Florissant.”
In addition to a wide range of Irish products – everything from keychains and hats to linen and jewelry – Thistle and Clover also has two databases that allow customers to search for their family’s coat of arms.
“We really enjoy helping people discover their heritage, even those who aren’t Irish or Celtic,” Rhonda says. “You never know what you’ll discover.”
Thistle and Clover, located at 1060 rue St. Catherine, is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10am-5pm.
Filed Under: Community
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