When interior designer Sally-Anne Bennett told people a real treat was in store in Cabra, north Dublin, she got a cautiously welcome response – this being the middle of a recession after all. True to her word, she and husband Linley Jones opened the suitably named Treat Deli and Gift Store at the end of July, but inevitably amid the well wishers came the odd prophet of retail doom. "The worst thing was on our opening day and one guy telling me, 'Oh, you won't do well with this.' But the thing is, the locals have been really supportive."

The charcoal-grey-painted exterior, weather-beaten outdoor furniture and pots of fragrant rosemary promise an unusual but charming mix of goodies inside. There are homemade scones, cakes, soups, coffee and gourmet sandwiches to the rear of the store, while to the front is an array of bakeware, delph, linens, children's toys and home gifts. Goods are displayed on vintage dressers and linen-covered tables. It's a little bit Avoca, a little bit Cath Kidston, but a whole lot of the owners' individual style.

The couple had always hankered after having their own store and when redundancy struck, it was a case of now or never. Accountant Jones and designer Bennett pooled their skills and – after a lot of anxiety and hard slog – a store was born.

"Even when you are anticipating redundancy, it's still kind of a blow when it happens. Linley lost his job in May of last year. At that time, I didn't have a huge amount of work coming in either and eventually my job with a design firm in Ballsbridge was made redundant too.

"We started seriously thinking about opening some kind of store. Linley loves food and loves to cook. He'd been thinking of doing something food-wise for some time. Initially, we thought about opening a little cafe in a different street, but the premises was really tiny. Then this space came up. And we divided it up to reflect our skills, so Linley looks after the food, I take care of the interiors and gifts."

Many of the customers are families with young children who bought homes in the area in recent years – just like the couple themselves, who live in a fine Edwardian redbrick nearby and have two young daughters aged seven and two. But the older community of D7 find Treat to their taste too, says Bennett, more so for the freshly baked foodstuffs, homemade jams and takeaway lunch offerings like freshly baked ham sandwiches on sourdough bread. It's the little touches that find favour with everyone though, such as complimentary gift wrapping. "I love cards and wrapping paper. If I had the time I would open a stationery shop as well," admits Bennett.

So, no complaints after two months open? "One man recently asked why we 'don't have any homewares or gifts for men?' and I told him, sure it's women who are the best shoppers!" And that's a truth universal, Ms Bennett.

Get the look

Address book

Treat Deli & Gift Store, Imaal Road, Cabra, Dublin 7 (Mon-Sat, 8-6 pm);
tel: 01 8389473

»Colour of shop front is Eye of the Storm (a grey/green shade) by Colourtrend, available to be mixed at MRCB Paints

»Outdoor table and chairs from Avoca

»Dresser and tables for display from Way of Life, Glaslough village, Co Monaghan ("A great little place to find curios and old pieces very reasonably priced, and much of it sourced from the markets in Paris"), and from Charlie Bird's in Portobello, Dublin

»Haberdashery unit, main counter and shelving from the Mount Argus auction

»Cake stands and plates have been picked up over the last while at markets and charity shops

»Old frame made into blackboard from Blackrock Market, Co Dublin