Liberty is like Madonna, constantly reinventing and thereby outliving most others of its type. The store was moved from Simcoe to Port Dover in June of 2018 to access higher foot traffic volume in Norfolk’s fastest growing tourist community. It’s located at 19 Harbour St, right on the pier with the most magnificent view of the channel. And when Theodore Too comes to town to visit, he is docked right out front of the store!
Liberty’s current owner, Diane Xurieb, is now the fourth owner, and has been so now since July of 2022. Diane was looking for a location to showcase her hand-made crafts when she happened upon the opportunity of ownership. She still works as an RN part time and skilfully juggles both jobs. On the days she cannot be at the store, she has two awesome employees Tammy and Ange, who man the store. Her husband John is always around to help with odd jobs and propose wonderful ideas (like bringing in our salt water taffy! YUM!) Diane’s whole family has been very supportive of this endeavour, especially her youngest daughter Tara who you may see in the store from time to time, but most of her handiwork is done behind the scenes.
Welcoming and fun, a visit to Liberty is like popping into a friend’s house; a friend who has a lot of cool stuff! The shop is always full of ever-shifting eclectic displays that follow themes or colour stories and invite customers to take their time exploring and interacting with our products. A visit here is intended to be a mini adventure, a place of curiosities and delights that stimulate the senses and invoke laughter and nostalgia. The blend of locally handmade, commercial and vintage goods, allows browsers to feel like they are on a little treasure hunt, and perhaps maybe to purchase a unique gift for either for giving or keeping. In this, Liberty is on the forefront of an emerging trend in independent retail to provide shoppers with more than just goods for purchase, but a shopping experience that enriches a person’s day.