Visit us at 44 Main Street, Portlaoise, Co. Laois, R32 D425. Our store is open Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 6pm.
Visit us at 44 Main Street, Portlaoise, Co. Laois, R32 D425. Our store is open Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 6pm.
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Our Story!

“Once upon a time (Uair Amháin – Fadó Fadó for the Gaeilgeoirs among ye), there lived an accountant from Portlaoise (that’s the bearded one!)...

His folks tell me that, as a tot he used to play for hours on end with his red wooden toolbox… and they reckoned that he might end up being a carpenter! Jim and Bridie weren’t too far wrong…. Running our own business means that he is indeed the managing carpenter…, painter…, buyer…, ‘number cruncher’… and sure he wouldn’t have it any other way!.

In his spare time, he loves to talk (the hind legs off anyone who’ll listen) about coffee ….  Oops yep dear, I did mean to say ‘great’ coffee (see what I mean 🙄).

Myself on the other hand … well some might say that I’m the shy and retiring one… (kiddin’ 😂). Originally from County Meath and with a highly relevant background (not!) in hotel marketing, I moved to Portlaoise in 2012 after a 3 month trip to New Zealand with ‘himself’.. It was there - specifically at the top of Fox Glazier mountain (I might have been doing ‘snow angels’...) that we had our ‘Eureka moment’… We were coming home to Laois to open our own business!

We just really loved the vibe among the many independent cafes and gift stores that we constantly found ourselves drawn to on our travels … and we really wanted to try our hand at opening a good café … a place that takes it’s beans seriously!

And, if that worked well…. we would be even more thrilled to have our very own gift store!
Less ‘run of the mill’ and more ‘wow – where did you find that!’ kinda place… A place for which we would hunt… far and wide… to bring a range of truly unusual and often unique gift ideas to our customer (we have since amassed more than 200 gorgeous supply partners  - many of them Irish).

Anyways, here I am digressing again  …. Back to Jan 2013, when we picked up the keys to our Pantry Café on Market Square and soon after, the second ‘sibling’ (our gift store; Nook & Cranny) was born.

Together and with a ‘helluva’ team that we’re so very proud of….  it’s fair to say that we’re absolutely ‘happy out’... working hard and enjoying life in Laois. 

Really hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you through the doors before too long and meanwhile ‘big thanks’ for stopping by our online store 👍

Till we meet,


Ladonna x