Suzanne Clewer, longtime owner of The Continental Shop in Santa Monica and widow of radio personality Brian Clewer, passed away on Monday, 13th February at her Beverly Hills home. She will be missed by all who had the pleasure to know her.
Suzanne was born in Pasadena in 1942, grew up in Houston, Altadena and South Pasadena where she got her first taste of British foods from her piano teacher who had moved here from London after the War. Suzanne taught at Sawyer’s Business College and worked in the independent film industry for some years before meeting Brian Clewer in 1982. It was one of those immediate attractions between them. She started working part time at Brian’s business, the Continental Shop, when it was located in the Ambassador Hotel in the Mid-Wilshire district, doing the reservation charts and accounting for charter flights to the UK. Brian will be remembered by many readers as one of the leading figures of the local expat community and as the host of the long-running ‘Cynic’s Choice’ radio show, featuring classic British radio comedy and aired in Los Angeles for more than 40 years.
After a couple of years working at the Continental Shop Brian allowed Suzanne to start buying the gift items for the shop. After they were married in 1984 she took charge of purchasing the foods as well. Her first trip to London with Brian was a surprise, he told her they were going to San Francisco and she didn’t notice that they were boarding a British Caledonian aircraft….after two hours in the air she got the feeling San Francisco wasn’t the actual destination. Her son Michael had made certain that Brian had her passport before the flight, having been given the heads-up about the trip. That was the first of many wonderful holidays they took to the UK, Europe and the Orient. Each time Suzanne would search around the shops for new food items to try and bring in for the shop.
After Suzanne suffered a stroke in 1992 it wasn’t as easy for to get around but she kept up her seven-day-a-week pace at the shop, which she loved. Suzanne always felt that the customers were like family and dear friends.
After Brian passed away in 2008 Suzanne continued to run the Continental Shop with her trademark kindness and good humor despite her failing health. She is survived by her son Michael Clewer who will be running the Continental Shop going forward, and brother and sister-in-law Colin and Carol Clewer and nephews Andrew and Graham Clewer and their families. A memorial service will be held at Westwood Methodist Church, 10497 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles at 2pm on the 29 February. All friends and family are invited to attend.
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