Sherlock's: What's In the Pallet?
'The Plot Thickens Dear Watson'
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ANDY BRADSHAW standing beside a mountain of crisps just arrived from the U.K. and destined for the annual BC Highland Games.
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EXTERIOR AND PATIO of Sherlock's British Sweets, Groceries and Soccer.
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By CATHOLINE BUTLER
NEW WESTMINSTER, BC - Andy Bradshaw is the owner of Sherlock's British Sweets, Groceries & Soccer shop, a beautiful old heritage building located on busy Columbia Street with steady sidewalk traffic.
Originally from Fulham, England and a huge Chelsea supporter, Bradshaw is a big fan of Sherlock Holmes and the name Sherlock's originated with an antique store that he owned on Front Street in New Westminster. He kept the name when he moved to his new location but is no longer in the antique business.
Always welcoming and with a ready smile, Andy is an instinctive businessman, always planning and keeping his eye on the market. You won't find him with his head in the clouds even though he worked in the airline industry for many years.
The day I visited the shop, Andy was busy unpacking huge pallets of UK groceries and sweets, lucozade drinks and a new tea from Wales called Glengettie. There was also a mountain of boxes of potato crisps that he told me literally fly off the shelves.
Andy Bradshaw will have a large tent at the B.C. Highland Games in Coquitlam on June 27, and he said that several of the pallets of UK products that he had just received would be going to the Games.
One of the heavy dark plastic covered pallets from the UK is being kept under wraps and a surprise for the games.....as Sherlock Holmes would say, "the plot thickens my dear Watson." So, keep an eye out for Sherlock's at the Games to find out what's in the pallet.
The first thing that you notice as you enter Sherlock's is the football/soccer merchandise - racks of jerseys for all the premier teams, keychains, umbrellas with the team logos, right down to dog dishes with team logos. All of this is not too surprising since Bradshaw is the wholesale agent across Canada for the crested products.
Sherlock's is a huge shop with 4,500 square feet and the same amount of storage space upstairs. The store has 40 individual showcases around the perimeter of the shop, which belong to individual dealers who rent space from Bradshaw.
The showcases feature everything from beautiful antique jewellery to Dinky Toys. This concept has worked well for Andy and as a result he has more time to concentrate on the British product side of his business.
At the back of the store there is a little deli, where you can purchase sausage rolls, meat pies, British bacon and pastries. There are also a few tables where you can enjoy a cup of tea or coffee, a sausage roll, or a meat pie, and a pastry in the store or outside on the patio.
Sherlock's also offers a great variety of UK chocolate bars and individual chocolates, as well as a diabetic sweet section, and big jars of sweets from England.
Give yourself some time to peruse all the showcases and numerous British products when you visit. This is a very unique shop and there are gift items there that you won't find anywhere else.
Sherlock's is located at 659 Columbia Street in New Westminster, B.C. For more information, call (604) 529-1999 or visit: www.britfood.ca.
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