From The Warminster Digest, Tuesday 4th February 1997:
Quite often you must have thought – it’s present ideas time again as one of your loved ones reaches another anniversary – what shall I get them this time?
It is the zebra crossing in the High Street that leads to another of Warminster’s ‘hidden’ little treasures that locals know about.
This place to browse is Quartet’s gift shop which is reached by walking up what almost feels like the stairs to go up to the theatre or cinema but in fact leads to proprietors Sheila Toomey or Jane Parsons.
A wide selection of gift ideas catch the idea starting with locally produced handicrafts that greets one in a glass cabinet just before entering the shop proper.
In fact, locally produced goods sit alongside the nationally famous products. Danny Howell’s books about local history sit alongside books about Oscar Wilde, while papier mache ornaments can be found nestling alongside chinaware from further afield.
Everything from stylish clothes through to fountain pens, from children’s toys through to backgammon sets mean that with what is obviously a well thought out layout which gives plenty of room to browse ideas in all sorts of price ranges are there to be had.
“The statue you are looking at is produced by a local craftsman. In fact, all the items in this part of the shop are on display by locals,” explained Sheila Toomey.
The shop also sells on commission basis antique jewellery and china for other people.are
The business card that I picked up describes the shop as selling gifts and collectables.
I was intrigued – how did they get the name Quartet which more normally one would assume was connected to music?
“The business started seven years ago and there were four partners. Two have now retired but we are now so well known as Quartet – the place for quality.”