Blackthorn and Willow is a small yet unique shop that specialises in local crafts and locally produced artisan foods.
It is located in the picturesque Glens village of Glenarm in County Antrim, where it supplies locals and visitors alike with a range of high-quality goods for the home and kitchen – textiles, willow baskets, wooden bowls and boards, pottery and ceramics, and a range of original artwork and prints by local artists. The craftsmen and women who supply the shop all live and work in Northern Ireland – many of them were trained at the University of Ulster while others gained their skills and experience further afield.
Blackthorn and Willow also stocks a selection of delicious and interesting food products – jams and chutneys; oils and vinegars; teas and coffee; biscuits and oatcakes; sea vegetables and smoked salt and pepper, and raw chocolate.
Uniquely, Blackthorn and Willow also doubles as a micro-bakery! Every Saturday, a range of ‘Blackthorn Breads’ are on sale in the shop. Baked on the premises, the loaves (made of fine quality, and mainly organic, ingredients) are brought to the counter still warm, filling the shop with an enticing aroma.
The shop is housed in what was an old pub and still retains some of its original features. Teas, coffees and cake are served in the old bar at the back of the shop.
Glenarm is a special village – for there are not many villages in Northern Ireland that offer visitors the seaside and a marina and also a forest and a castle! The arrival of Blackthorn and Willow gives one more reason to make the journey to Glenarm in the beautiful Glens of Antrim.