A Star Duo is Born: Welsh shop owners gain legion of worldwide fans with charming promotional videos

Stephen Price

Move over Linda and Naomi, a small boutique store in west Wales is gaining an army of dedicated followers worldwide thanks to a mischievous pair of shop owners (and models) and their hilarious social media videos.

Pethau Olyv based in St Clears, Carmarthenshire, was established in 2012 by quick-witted fashionistas Olive and Yvonne.

The two are long-term friends and met in 1978 when they both worked in St David’s Hospital Carmarthen as Psychiatric nurses before they both retired. Olive lives in Trelech, Carmarthen while Yvonne lives in Carmarthen.

Pethau Olyv stocks a wide selection of high-quality fashion clothing in sizes 8-22, from a selection of some of the best suppliers known to the fashion-savvy pair, and shoppers can also ‘try before you buy’.

The two are passionate about St Clears, with Pethau Olive meaning Olive’s Things, reflecting the Welsh character, and the living and thriving use of the Welsh language in this community close to the border with Pembrokeshire.

To complete shoppers’ experience they sell tea, coffee and cake, all in a warm and friendly atmosphere with the two on hand to offer any assistance required.

According to their website, they “know our customers want something different and we are always looking for something unusual and unique” – something encapsulated in their utterly charming social media posts.

Newfound fame

Nation.Cymru had a quick chat with Olive and Yvonne (the three of us going deaf didn’t help, but we got there!) to find out more about the shop and to see how they’re enjoying their newfound fame – with tens of thousands of viewers on many of their Facebook videos.

Yvonne shared: “We’ve been amazed to see the response to our videos and didn’t see it coming to be honest!

“With so many of our customers living out of reach of the store, we thought why not bring the store, and our personally curated stock, to them.

“We’re just being ourselves on camera, coughing, having a laugh, getting it wrong, telling each other to “aisht” (shush) – we’re certainly not professionals and that’s maybe what makes it more fun.”

Olive added: “We just can’t sit at home doing nothing, so the shop is a chance for us to be a part of the community again.

“We started by going around fairs and clubs, then we thought about having a permanent spot here in St Clears and the rest is history.

“Neither of us wanted it to just be a simple old shop – it’s a community hub, and we’re bringing together our love of people, community and clothes in one place.”

“And food and drink!” added Yvonne.

Croeso cynnes

In the close knit community of St Clears, Pethau Olyv is also something of a Welsh language hub.

Yvonne shared: “When we’re on camera we’re just being ourselves so we sometimes speak a bit of Welsh, sometimes a bit of English – it’s very natural and lots of our followers have enjoyed hearing Welsh for the first time, as well as our local dialect which we think is really special.”

Olive added: “We’re not so up Facebook but we have a lady who does it who is really good, and we love to answer people back when we can.

“We’ve had a lot of comments we’ve loved – we’re a community shop, people love to come to have a chat, and Facebook has felt like we’ve allowed even more people to come in through the door.”

Both Yvonne and Olive stressed the need for us to all use the high street where and when we can, championing buying better and supporting the community and the local jobs that the high street brings.

Yvonne said: “We offer a very personal service, but also know when to just let people get on with it and advise. There’s nothing worse than someone hanging over you and pushing things on to you!”

And with the two putting St Clears on the map, they’re encouraging anyone who can to pay the area, and the shop, a visit this spring and summer.

“There’s a reason we don’t leave our few square miles for too long. Carmarthenshire is like nowhere else on earth, and we might be biased but St Clears is a jewel in the crown.

“We are very different here – and you’re guaranteed a croeso cynnes.

“Come to St Clears and meet us in the flesh!”

Until these stars of the high street get their own television show, give them a follow on Facebook now. You won’t be disappointed.