The Fife Gift Card: Thistle Island

The Fife Gift Card: Thistle Island

The Fife Gift Card can be spent with over 70 businesses in Fife, including candle studio and gift shop Thistle Island, located in Kirkcaldy. 

Joanne Drysdale is the owner of Thistle Island:

“Thistle Island is a brand new business which opened in April 2021, at the end of the Scottish lockdown. I started making candles 5 years ago when I was on maternity leave but it didn’t become a business until a couple of years ago. I originally sold my Thistle Island brand of home fragrance and candles online but during the first lockdown I noticed a rise in sales, which I put down to people being at home more and wanting their home environments to be restful and smell beautiful. 

“Having my own gift shop has always been a dream of mine but it was something I thought I’d do far into the future. There was this little shop around the corner from my house and my husband kept encouraging me to go and have a look at it. I finally did, it felt right and I decided to go for it and open my own shop, Thistle Island. 

“When I opened the shop, I didn’t have any expectations but it has been amazing and I think that’s because people are really getting behind the idea of shop local. In the short time I’ve been open, I have been lucky enough to have regular customers and have extended my range to include not only candles and home fragrance but jewellery, handmade soaps, skincare, scarves and knick knacks. People always comment on the little pieces I have in the shop. It’s only small but there’s so much to see.

“I joined the Fife Gift Card because, as a new business, many people don’t know I’m here and being a part of the gift card is a good way to get people through the door and build awareness. The Fife Gift Card is a great gift because it gives people the option of where to spend it. It’s a quick and convenient gift to give someone but they can use the gift card to access some really unique products and services. When you shop local, you’re supporting someone’s business and that means so much to small business owners like myself.”