On a recent visit to London, England, Susan Jacobson saw a sign saying: Drink Wine - No Good Stories Were Ever Told Over Salad. She thought this reflected her entertaining style nicely, as gathering friends around the table with wine and good cheese is a go-to entertaining strategy for this consummate hostess, who is a well-known local purveyor of fine cheese and gourmet food items.
As the owner of Jacobsons in New Edinburgh, Susan's Beechwood Avenue store is an offshoot of the main import and distribution business, which seeks out the best in specialty food items from around the world and then supplies the goods to more than 1,500 customers across Canada.
The home décor enthusiast has a passion for folk art and early, primitive Canadian furniture. Susan grew up in Quebec and started her career as an antiques dealer, then moved on to teaching and eventually moved to Ottawa and started DoveTale Collections and Jacobsons. Her daughter and son-in-law have joined the business and she considers all of her staff members to be like family.
Family is reflected within Susan's home with inherited heirlooms. Her home is a warm reflection of hospitable style that offers an air of eclectic, much-loved furnishings. This flair transfers to her approach to entertaining, which can be either formal or informal depending on the occasion. But no matter the size or style of the gathering, Susan's advice is to relax and relish guests with a good sense of humour. Humour takes many forms in Susan's Beacon Hill home, which is filled with fun whimsical pieces that each have a story to tell.
The fact that she enjoys people and is inspired by creative energy likely goes a long way towards her success, both at home and in business. "I love people and live for inspiration and creativity and the discovery of something new and exciting," says Susan. Noting with caution that nothing lasts forever and there are no guarantees in life, Susan encourages people to "continue to evolve and to welcome new opportunities."
