Lorna McIntosh describes herself as “Scottish-Australian” having lived a large part of her life Down Under. In 2018, together with her partner, Leanne, they decided to “do something right out of our comfort zones” and they took on The Candy Coo, Grantown-on-Spey’s much-loved sweet shop.

A “lover of the outdoors” and “a warrior for our planet and animals“, Lorna would be the first to admit that she has a sweet tooth: “I love sweets!” she tells us – and that was a key driver for the career and lifestyle step change.

She and Leanne met in Sydney, Australia, 30 years ago. “I took a year out to backpacking around the world. It is amazing what can happen when we throw caution to the wind.” And it was that same attitude that led to their adventure in Strathspey.

The food of love …

A chef all her working life – she still works as a chef seasonally – Lorna has a passion for working with with fresh produce and she gets a kick out of serving “folks who appreciate the finer things“.

She also loves music and theatre – and is a member in a choir: “Music brings me much joy – and cycling also holds my heart!”

They have just celebrated their sixth anniversary at The Candy Coo – but know they are guardians for a shop that has a long and much-loved history.

It was in June 2018 when they opened for the first time – selling sweets, ice creams and a collection of toys. “It was such a punt but we knew we were buying a long-established sweet shop that has been on Grantown-on-Spey’s High Street now for more than forty years!”

Lorna says they pride themselves on delivering “great customer service” and selling not just the expected: “We have some unusual products and that always starts a conversation. We also stock sweets that allow our older customers to take a trip down memory lane.” And staying one step ahead on trends is key: “We are ‘on the pulse’ when it comes to new things as spotted by the ever-vigilant Leanne on TikTok!”

Love your work …

Lorna says her love of work “has never wavered“, adding: “If you do what you love, it’s never work. That has been true for us. We still love it – and we still love sweets!”

And it is that positivity that has seen them through some tough times too. Biggest challenges? “As we took over the shop we were hit with a heat wave … great for ice cream sales but we found rookie mistakes as the shop’s chocolate fridge and air conditioning didn’t work!” She adds: “That cost us a fair bit but our achievement was being able to adapt and deliver regardless of the hardships along the way – and that includes getting through covid restrictions.”

As with all who feature on our profiles, we asked what Lorna would recommend to anyone visiting Grantown for the first time – or for the first time in a long time: “Visit the High Street definitely … take in all the shops and cafes. It’s a great space! Then there’s walking and cycling with so many tracks. They are an absolute highlight. Finally, watching all the natural world – from the red squirrels to the amazing starry skies.” As they might well say in Oz, sweet!

Need more?

You can follow The Candy Coo on Facebook and Instagram where they share photos of new products and more.

Visit them at 32 High Street in Grantown-on-Spey. Use PH26 3ES for your SatNav.

 

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