by Madison White Franks
The Crabby Couple gift shop recently relocated from Deltaville to Icehouse Fields in White Stone.
Owner Cindy Council moved the gift shop to save her business as sales were steadily declining in Deltaville.
Once she made the decision to move the shop, she closed down business from February 28 in Deltaville and opened March 31 in White Stone, said Council.
“We sell anything related to beach life,” she said.
The gift shop has an assortment of items from clothing, home decor, candles and jewelry.
Council and her late husband Rock came up with the name of the shop over drinks after considering many options before they opened in Deltaville in March of 2011. She retired from Philip Morris in 2010 and moved to Deltaville from Chesterfield and decided to open The Crabby Couple as a hobby. Council’s friend and co-worker Bonnie O’Briant also retired from Philip Morris in 2009 and moved to Hartfield.
“We try extremely hard to have specialized items with reasonable pricing,” said Council.
“We are changing our product and focus based on our customers,” said O’Briant. Fifty to sixty percent of their customers are from the Deltaville shop, but may live on the Northern Neck, she said.
“The people are so kind over here and businesses are referring people to us,” said Council.
“White Stone has been so welcoming and another reason we moved is that we know the town is growing,” said O’Briant.
They held a grand re-opening July 21 and Council said it was the best day of business since she opened in 2011.
Council and O’Briant have also hosted “Under the Tent” events such as on Saturday, July 28, Mary Pascale who paints slates for personalized gifts was featured.
According to Council, the shop’s real owner is a three-year-old tabby cat named Hobo who adopted The Crabby Couple as her home in 2015.
“Everyone loves Hobo,” she said.
Stop in to see Hobo, Council and O’Briant at 60 First Street in White Stone.
