Couple make a welcome return
Kevin and Liz Hill are likely to look familiar to a good few Halifax residents.
The couple have just opened a new boutique in The Piece Hall – in the very same space where they ran a store 27 years ago.
Between 1997 and 1999, the pair used to have Aromatics, selling all sorts of aromatherapy goods and other treats including bringing bath bombs and Yankee Candles to Halifax for the first time.
Liz is a qualified aromatherapist and gave up the store to teach the practice.
The couple have since spent time living in Spain and opened a shop in Ripon – Karma – but now they are back in Halifax, and it’s all thanks to pop star Sting.
The pair came to see the singer perform at The Piece Hall last year and it was the first time they had been back to the historic venue.
"We looked at each other and said ‘Wow, look at this place now’,” said Kevin.
They asked if there were any units to let and, as fate would have it, the one they rented all those years ago on the top floor was free.
"It’s the same floor that I sanded and varnished back then,” said Kevin.
"It’s so nice to be back here. It’s beautiful.
"Everyone has been so friendly and we’ve had a really warm welcome.”
Indian Summer is an independent clothing boutique selling hand-tailored women's clothing, leather bags and accessories.
It and sister shop Karma are inspired by India and the couple travel there every year to source what they sell from small, family-run businesses and traders that they say have become “like extended family”.
They include skilled silversmiths and leather workers as well as expert silk and master tailors.
"Our clothing is exclusively fashioned from sustainable materials, including repurposed saris or rayon – a byproduct of the sugar cane industry,” they say.
"Our commitment to ethical practices is paramount. Our ethical pricing policy is set by the artisans – what the maker asks for is what we pay.
"We do not ‘haggle’. This understanding and trust has been built over many years ensuring fairness to all.”