Ireland and Old Lace Is Stocked for St. Patrick's Day

It’s that time of year again. 

Time to break out your “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” T-shirt and that ridiculous green top hat you’ve been storing in the closet since the foggy morning of March 18 last year.   

St. Patrick’s Day brings about a busy time for stores like Ireland and Old Lace, an Irish Gift boutique in Historic Smithville Village. 

Stocked copiously with all of the seasonal St. Patrick’s Day offerings, the store is fully prepared to meet the celebratory needs of its customers, be it a proper Irish breakfast or glitzy shamrock beads for hitting the local Irish pub.

But as store owner, Kelly Coleman notes, Ireland and Old Lace is far from a “shamrock shop.”

While Coleman’s store carries the obligatory St. Patrick’s Day items necessary for the holiday season, the store is known more for bringing authentic Irish products to the area, such as hand-knitted scarves and sweaters, as well as linens, pottery, crystal and china.

To supplement her offerings for the season, Coleman has also stocked her shelves with traditional meat products prepared by Irish-American butchers in North Jersey and New York City.

When people buy an item from the shop, Coleman said, “They’re buying quality.”

Coleman explained further that Ireland’s craft industry has nothing to do with the bric-a-brac items associated with St. Patrick’s Day.

Authentic Irish products, she said, are never mass-produced like disposable St. Patrick’s Day items.

Ireland’s industry is “cottage” based, Coleman added. “There are no sweatshops.”

Coleman, a former event-planning specialist for MTV Network, is also planning St. Patrick's Day celebration in Smithville, scheduled for March 19. The celebration will feature musical guests and dance entertainment.