A COUPLE of identical twins who have re-united after living apart for more than two decades have celebrated the opening of their antiques and jewellery shop in Colwyn Bay.
Sally Lambourne and Sarah Meza-Valasquez, who were born in 1974 and grew up in Old Colwyn, welcomed customers to Ark Antiques & Jewellery for the first time on November 25.
Based on Rhos Road, the shop sells “such a different array of things”, and is currently open seven days a week.
Sally Lambourne and Sarah Meza-Valasquez inside their new shop (Image: Sally Lambourne)
Its first visitors were offered mince pies, while Sarah’s son, Daniel, made a surprise visit home from York, where he studies, to celebrate the opening with her.
Sally said: “The opening on Saturday was absolutely wonderful.
“We had such support from all of the surrounding retailers and residents wishing us well. We had lots of good luck and congratulations cards, chocolates, flowers… all sorts!
“We had lots of family and friends coming in as well, so it was such a busy day. We were really touched by it all.
“My sister didn’t know her son was coming, either, and was really touched by that.”
Sarah and her son Daniel after his surprise visit home on Saturday (Image: Sally Lambourne)
Sally added that antiques and jewellery has been a “shared love” between her and her sister for some time, so to open their shop together has been a “dream come true”.
It also offers delivery and postal services, and can take orders via Facebook, too.
She added: “It’s something that we’ve been interested in for a long time. it’s just a shared love between us.
“I lived down south for 26 years, but when I moved back here in September, and the opportunity then arose for us to open this shop, it was just a dream come true.
Sally and her two daughters, Elizabeth and Jessica (Image: Sally Lambourne)
“It was something we’d talked about, but never thought would happen. A lot of hard work has gone into it from my sister and I, but when it’s for something that you love, you don’t mind.
“There is such a different array of things, like jewellery, rocking horses, davenports, military memorabilia, figurines, silver candle sticks, rare Japanese vases, and furniture.
“We’ve had lots of compliments about our shop window, too… people have been trying to buy our decorations!”
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