Pot & Pantry represents the best of Elgin Street. The store opened back in 2016 on the corner of Elgin and Cooper. Owner Robin Coull is a self-described passionate cook and baker who has a background in desert catering. Walking into the shop, her love for all things home is immediately evident.
While managing a similar retail store, Coull decided to open up her own kitchen and fine food store and figured that Elgin would be a great location. Her instinct was right on the money; after five years in business, Pot & Pantry Kitchenware & Gourmet Foods has expanded to a larger space a few doors south, and Coull has opened a new Pot & Pantry Home Store in the shop’s original location.
ABOVE: The Pot & Pantry Home Store at 244 Elgin Street, at the corner of Cooper.
The Home Store has excellent things for interior decoration but also functions as a shop to sell items that shoppers can’t easily get downtown, like sheets, towels, drainboards, floor mats, and so forth. “There were some things that people just couldn’t find in the neighbourhood,” said Coull, who described the transformation of the original shop as a bit of an adventure. She just loved the corner shop at Cooper and Elgin and didn’t want to give it up.
Both Pot & Pantry stores are wonderfully curated and presented. Each shelf looks like an interior designer has put it together. It’s truly a feast for the eyes. The new store has a touch of the trendy-looking pineapple wallpaper that return customers will recognize from the original corner shop — a nod to the heraldic symbol for service that makes the store feel cozy and friendly.
ABOVE: Owner Robin Coull describes her philosophy of stocking Pot & Pantry with environmentally conscious and sustainably made products.
The cocktail area of the store has strainers, jiggers, funky shakers, and quality glassware, including the Tattoo line of crystal that’s made sustainably in an eco-friendly factory in Italy; the only one in the world that uses electricity without chemicals to produce the glass. The best part is, they are so well priced!
There is also a great range of hard-to-find exotic products like Japanese Bitters, alcohol-free liquors, syrups, and tonics. Coull, in part, attributes the selection to her travels and says she wanted others to experience the international products: “I love mixing cocktails, and I lived all over the world; when I moved back to Ottawa, I couldn’t find anywhere to buy these things.”
The new store has a large food section with a fridge and freezer to store gourmet goods. Available is an excellent mix of ethically sourced and locally made products. As with all Pot & Pantry offerings, Coull says she buys the food products from ethically produced, quality, and environmentally friendly companies that do “good for the world.”
Coull eventually plans to host various classes and has had an in-store kitchen installed. She is thinking of cocktail making and cooking classes, even product demonstrations. That sounds like a great idea!
With Mother’s Day approaching, either store is a great spot to pop in and pick up a gift for mom. One of the coolest items is the Swedish Hinza bags, popular as grocery bags in Sweden before plastic became ubiquitous. Surprisingly, the rigid totes are made from sugar cane instead of oil.
On top of being way more stylish than the average grocery bag, the Hinza is easy to clean and can carry up to 30kgs of weight. They look like a great multi-purpose carrier that would make a great beach bag or can be used to carry food or toys to the park.
There are also cake stands in an assortment of colours, tea towels, mugs, and so much more. For other gift suggestions for mom, visit potandpantry.ca’s Mother’s Day section.
If you’re looking for a gift for a birthday, Mother’s Day, or a wedding, want to treat yourself, or perhaps need that cooking tool you don't have, Pot and Pantry is the place to look, with stylish but practical kitchenware and quality food. The home store just a few doors down and is also a great place to look for everything from quality bed sheets and duvet covers to products for your pet, organization, or home office.
Next time you are walking down Elgin, pop into Pot & Pantry Kitchenware & Gourmet Foods at 254 Elgin Street and have a look around. We guarantee, you will fall in love.
