New in Town: Faire Isles Trading Co.
Written by Diane Helentjaris | Photos by Shannon Ayres
Despite being gone for over 200 years, Scottish writer Robert Burns has enticed a new shop to Middleburg. If not for his ode “To a Mouse” and other poems, there would have been no inaugural Burns Night in January 2026; without Burns Night, Kathleen Fraser likely wouldn’t have urged the Shahans to bring their Celtic shop to Middleburg. Serendipity can be a wonderful thing.
It didn’t take long for Adam and Stephanie Shahan to make up their minds. In early May 2026, they opened Faire Isles Trading Co. at 116 West Washington Street.
Browsing the shop offers an intriguing mix of exploration, discovery, and pleasure set against quiet Celtic music. As you poke around, Adam Shahan might be wiping off a few specks of imperceptible dust from the sparkling barware on the store’s shelves. Originally from Taylor County, West Virginia, Adam is a full-time sergeant in the Virginia State Police. His wife, Stephanie, formerly with the FBI, grew up in Frederick County, Virginia. The couple live in Woodstock.
Their move into entrepreneurship began with the Highland Games. These traditional Scottish cultural celebrations feature competitive strength sports, Highland dancing, clan meetings, and bagpipes galore. While they’re held worldwide, today more Highland Games are held in the United States than in Scotland itself. Over time, the Shahans began working with another couple selling Celtic goods at the Highland Games in Virginia and New Hampshire. In 2023, that couple retired and the Shahans took over their Faire Isles Trading Co. business. The next year, the Shahans opened their first location in Old Town Winchester’s Walking Mall.
Their Middleburg shop is pristine and attractive, with a striking selection of goods. When a person opens a shop serving a niche, Stephanie believes the owners are “expected to know everything about the culture.” She adds, “That’s a lot of research to catch up on.”
Many Americans have knowledge of, and a personal interest in, Celtic life. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 9.5% of the population claims Irish ancestry and 3.6% lay claim to Scottish forebears.
Stephanie follows three cardinal rules for what she sells. First, “I go for product authenticity.” She also buys “local over there” — creations from independent artists and small companies. Lastly, she is “trying to bring in culturally significant items.” She lists Harris tweeds as an example, which are made in only three federally protected mills in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides islands. In addition, she likes “things that tell a story … symbols, folklore. Everything has meaning.” One example is the Celtic cross, an iconic image that incorporates ancient pagan and later Christian symbolism.
Whether you need a red Irish sweater for a grandchild, a dog harness in a family tartan for your puppy, a kilt, a sporran, or a finely wrought Celtic cross necklace, you can find it at Faire Isles. You can also easily get lost looking up Scottish surnames in the stack of tartan swatch books. A robust inventory of gift ideas, art, houseware, and more is also available to buy online at faireislestrading.com.
Stephanie “loves to connect with people.” She says her hallmark is “getting to know the people who come in.” The shops in Middleburg and Winchester carry different inventory reflecting their customer bases. She finds Winchester folks often seek “festival clothing” for Highland Games events. They also look for utility kilts. Unlike traditional kilts, utility kilts can have added pockets, use Velcro or zippers for closures, and feature durable, machine-washable fabric. They are for everyday, casual, or work wear. Stephanie is still sorting out what’s popular with Middleburg customers. Her first foray includes offering a variety of Irish sweaters and tweed jackets.
“It’s all about the products and the experience,” she says. “What I take pride in — the crux of it — is making an enriching experience as you see [our goods] and browse… I want you to enjoy your time [in a] visually pleasing, aromatic [space] that hits all the senses.”
Faire Isles Trading Co. is not just for Celts; there is a universal appeal to Celtic culture. Hunt Country has a much older claim to kinship. In April 2026, King Charles III of England visited Virginia and underlined the literal bedrock connection between our region and the Celtic world. Referring to the prehistoric Pangea era, when the Appalachian Mountains and the Scottish Highlands were all part of one continuous mountain range, he noted: “Millennia before our nations existed, before any border drawn, the mountains of Scotland and Appalachia were one; a single, continuous range, forged in the ancient collision of continents.”
Faire Isles Trading Co. offers a fun way to explore our long-standing connection with the Celtic world. For more information, visit faireislestrading.com. ML
Published in the July 2026 issue of Middleburg Life.