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Speciality whisky and gin bar planned for Leven High Street

Doug and Brett Couper-Fleming also plan to sell refurbished furniture from a unit once occupied by an iconic local name.

Doug, left, and Brett Couper-Fleming are refurbishing the old Cumming's store.
Doug, left, and Brett Couper-Fleming are refurbishing the old Cumming's store. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson

Part of the former Cumming’s department store on Leven High Street is being transformed into a whisky and gin bar.

Doug and Brett Couper-Fleming have taken over the shop, which has lain empty since 2015.

The old Cumming's store on Leven High Street is being transformed into a whisky and gin bar downstairs and furniture store upstairs
The old Cumming’s store on Leven High Street is being transformed. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson

And their plans include an antiques centre selling refurbished mid-century furniture, arts, vintage jewellery and toys.

The speciality bar and shop will open in the basement, hopefully by the end of the year.

The couple have run East Coast Eclectic from a council-owned unit in Burnmill Industrial East for almost four years.

And they say the opening of the Levenmouth rail link in June had a huge bearing on their decision to expand to the old Cumming’s building.

Their announcement follows news a wine and tapas bar is opening further up the road.

And other exciting developments are also in the pipeline for Leven High Street.

‘Business has been booming’

Doug, 30, and Brett, 29, opened East Coast Eclectic in November 2020, selling both in-store and online.

“Business has been booming over the last couple of years,” said Doug.

Doug and Brett hope to have the Leven whisky and gin shop open within months
Doug and Brett hope to have the Leven whisky and gin shop and bar open within months. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson

“We’ve been keeping an eye on the local market for new premises but there wasn’t anything of the sort of scale we needed.

“That’s until we saw the old Cumming’s building advertised for sale. We bought it in January and that’s where we’re planning to go.

“Brett also has a second-hand jewellery business selling vintage silver and gold, so he’ll also have part of the shop for that.”

Refurbishment is well under way and former Cumming’s customers won’t recognise the place by the time it’s finished.

Refurbishment under way and 3 layers of flooring removed

The roof has been replaced and internal stud walls are being removed, along with old fitting rooms, light fixtures and flooring.

“We’re trying to preserve what’s there while taking out modern improvements from the last 40 years,” Doug said.

The Leven Cumming’s store was a well-known staple of the High Street. Image: DC Thomson.
Cumming's, Leven, in its heyday. It will soon be a whisky and gin bar Image: DC Thomson.
Cumming’s in its heyday. Image: DC Thomson.

“We’ve removed three layers of flooring and we’re right down to the original wooden floors. They’ll be getting oiled and stained.”

Cumming’s occupied the store for more than 100 years and most of Leven either shopped in or worked there at some point.

They include Brett’s aunt, who was a window dresser.

“We’ve been doing research on Facebook and every time a picture is posted of Cumming’s people say ‘I used to shop there’ or ‘my mum had an account there’,” Doug said.

“It’s a very iconic name.”

‘Customers are excited about the railway coming’

With just eight weeks to go until Leven railway station opens, the couple expect customers from across Scotland.

“We’re lucky our business already attracts people from different parts of the country,” said Doug.

“There’s not many shops that have a sole focus on mid-century furniture.

“And there’s seldom places you can go to look around so we get people who return again and again from Edinburgh and Glasgow.

“I think that will only increase when the railway opens.

“We have a few customers who follow us online but can’t manage to the shop if they don’t drive.

“Some are saying they’re really excited about the railway coming as they’ll be able to hop on a train for a browse.

“That can only be good for the town as a whole.”

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