Home accessories store Foreign Cargo has been bought by a new husband and wife team and is diversifying by offering interior design services.

Opened on Burnaby Street in May 1996, Foreign Cargo has been a husband and wife run enterprise since Nikki and Kirk Parris opened the store as they felt the Island lacked affordable home products similar to those offered by US stores such as Pier 1 Imports and Crate & Barrel.

The store was then taken over by husband and wife team Michael and Eduarda Rego Sousa a few years later who continued with the store's successful theme.

Before leaving Bermuda to live in the Azores, the Sousas sold the store to new owners Craig and Antoinette Cannonier.

Mr. Cannonier's sister Gaylynne Romeo, who had been living in Sicily for three years teaching English, was tempted away from her adopted Mediterranean Island back to her native Atlantic Island to manage the store along with her husband Enzo.

The store has been closed for renovations for three weeks and reopened on Monday. But although the merchandise - including wrought iron and pottery furnishings and the popular Yankee candles - has changed little, Ms Romeo is now offering her services as an interior designer.

Having studied interior design at the American College in London, Ms Romeo explained that the idea was to go to people's homes and offer redecorating suggestions.

Ms Cannonier, who is also a business analyst at Ace Bermuda Ltd. said she heard the store was for sale through word of mouth and realised it would be perfect for Ms Romeo to use the store as a platform to showcase her interior design skills.

Ms Cannonier was not worried about the depressed retail sector as she said there was currently a boom in the building sector and many people were redecorating their homes. "We saw an opportunity to fill a void," she said.

She also pointed out that even though the store's unique merchandise is from around the world, the most important point was that it was affordable.

Mr. Cannonier - who is an account manager at Cable & Wireless - said the store's aim was to "bring the world to Bermuda."

Ms Romeo hopes to use some of her Italian connections to add to the store's merchandise and Ms Cannonier hoped to import African products after making contacts in Ghana when visiting her daughter Lakilah who was there for four months at the end of last year on an exchange trip.

Ms Cannonier is also in the process of building a website and said they would respond to what consumers wanted and were happy to make special orders.