PICTURES: Crafty crafter’s ‘shop with no name’ is ready for tourist season in Wick
A Haster man is bucking the trend of closures on Wick high street with his woodturning products and bric-a-brac for sale in a ‘shop with no name’.
Gilbert (Laird) Sutherland has a selection of finely honed wooden bowls, plates, eggcups, candle-holders and much more at his premises with prices that start at just a few pounds.
“The first thing I sold was a brass shoehorn,” said Laird who also has a collection of bric-a-brac on the shelves. In the front window is the skull of a 12-point stag that is open to offers as well.
“I had a load of stuff in my shed at home and my wife said I should get rid of it.
“We tried a few fairs and only sold a few little things. Then Alex Banks told me he had the shop lying empty and why didn’t I give it a try. He gave me the keys and said I could do what I wanted with it.”
Laird showed a fine wood-turned pot made from pitch pine. “It’s a very hard wood with a fine smell. Things like this take longer to sand and polish than to actually make.”
One wooden goblet had been turned from an old fence-post and he has many smaller goblets for sale that could serve as keepsakes on anyone’s mantelpiece.
“I’ve been doing woodturning for about eight years since I retired and joined a club at the heritage centre in Castletown.
“One day, at home, a bag of wood arrived and I said, ‘It’s too good for the fire, Margaret. Why did the boy send me that?’ She said, ‘It’s not for the fire it’s for your woodturning’.
“I said, ‘Well, I don’t have a lathe’. The next thing I had to go searching and I got one from a chap in Castletown. I got it down and got engrossed in it. I’ve fair enjoyed it ever since.”
Laird says the shop has no name but he is a well-kent figure locally and hopes that word-of-mouth will help get some footfall at the premises.
Across the road is Wendy's Wool and Crafts which is run by Wendy Yolland along with her mum Anne Belton. Laird popped in and showed how one of his wooden creations was perfect for holding Wendy’s yarn and could benefit many in the knitting community.
Laird has high hopes as the summer draws closer and the town centre gets more busy. The shop may be nameless but it’s the one with the deer skull in the window if you’re looking for it.
“We’ll see how it goes during the tourist season this year,” he added.
