I don’t know about you but I ’d the Hallmark movie, All of My Heart.   I thought the casting was perfect, and I truly felt like the farmhouse, coffee shop, and general store were a huge part of the movie – so much so, they felt like characters themselves.  Once I located that gorgeous farmhouse, I just had to track down the other locations.  It wasn’t too difficult as there was some signage on the building in the film.  For me, the hardest part was waiting to take another trip across the border to finally visit in person.  I reached out to the owners of the coffee shop, set a date, and had the most amazing visit.  I’m eager to tell you about it!

What we all know as the coffee shop is actually called Milsean Shoppe, owned by high school sweethearts Robert and Maureen Robinson.  Milsean (Mil-seen) is a café and store that sells an array of delicious baked delights, soups, salads, and sandwiches, all made in house.  My husband and I shared the made-to-order pecan caramel waffle that was perfectly crisp, with just the right amount of caramel and pecans.  They have a wonderful selection of coffee drinks and teas, along with their award-winning Demerara Butter Crunch candy that is produced in their factory right on the premises.  Maureen tells me they sort of fell into the candy making business 25 years ago.  It all began with a family recipe.  Friends would ask Maureen if they could purchase her soon-to-be-famous Butter Crunch.  That led to holiday shows, where she would sell out early on.  They set up shop in the basement of her parent’s farmhouse, and it all took off from there.  In the late 1990’s, the Robinson’s purchased an old Fire hall and renovations began for Milsean Shoppe.  It’s a remarkable story, a testament to the hard work of this couple and the success they have earned.  I tried to find some photos of what the building looked like as a Fire hall but could not locate any.  Milsean Shoppe is lovely, inside and out, and it is no wonder Hollywood has come knocking.

My first impression when we pulled up was how much bigger it all looks on screen. We sat in the same area that was used in All of My Heart, where Daryl proposes to Jenny and where Brian discovers Jenny said no, which is personally one of my favorite scenes in the movie!!!

The counter area was used as well, you know the one where the “Hank special” was born. I was half expecting waitress Casey to come out at any moment and refill coffee cups!

Of course I asked about other filming that has been done at Milsean and Hallmark’s Dater’s Handbook and Christmas Cookies were both shot here. Christmas Cookies used the Robinson’s factory, where they produce their Butter Crunch candy.  As you can see from the photo below and the accompanying screenshot, the shopping area was used in a scene in Dater’s Handbook.

The property is unique in that the Robinson’s live upstairs in a gorgeous apartment over their business.  Maureen tells me they also rent out the upstairs for filming and it has appeared in several Hallmark movies, including: A Birthday Wish; Garage Sale Mysteries: The Deadly Room; Murder She Baked: A Peach Cobbler Mystery; and Pumpkin Pie Wars. Garage Sale Mysteries was the very first to film at the property.   It was also used in a couple of non-Hallmark movies: Death of a Showgirl and My Better Half.

Maureen is at every shoot, acting as liaison, and watches on as filming takes place.  Although the Hallmark Channel is not available in Canada, some of their movies are shown from time to time on another station and the Robinsons have seen their home and business on film.  When asked what that is like, she tells me it is, “very surreal; it’s very cool and very exciting”.  Um, yeah, I can totally relate because that is how I am feeling sitting in the coffee shop from All of My Heart.  I wondered if either she or Rob had ever appeared as an extra and it turns out Rob did once, in Christmas Cookies.  Sadly, his footage wound up on the cutting room floor.  Ah, but what a great memory!

During our time together, Maureen mentioned a director by the name of Peter and I immediately asked if she was talking about Peter DeLuise.  I’ve been a longtime fan of his, going back to the days of 21 Jumpstreet.  While others thought Johnny Depp was all that and a bag of chips, I kinda liked the more playful Peter DeLuise.  #TeamPenhall   I have followed his career and know he lives in Vancouver.  He regularly directs Hallmark movies and episodes of When Calls the Heart, among others.  Maureen told me what a dream Peter is to work with, how respectful he is to his crew, his cast, to everyone, including extras.  He tends to use the same crew, and it is like seeing old friends when they show up to film at Milsean.  I love that!  She emphasizes that his work is art, and I can only agree after watching the tender, heartwarming movies he has directed over the years.  She would welcome Peter and his crew back at anytime.

As a self-proclaimed lifelong film locations nerd, I find it incredibly refreshing that Rob and Maureen are as excited about their brush with fame as I am.  They don’t shy away from sharing about their experiences.  Maureen told me about a fan from San Francisco, California who came all the way to Milsean just because she had scene it in a Hallmark movie.  Sorry, I couldn’t resist!  Sadly, there are some business owners who have been featured on the big screen who don’t want anything to do with discussing it or bringing any attention to it.  I have never understood that mentality.  I applaud the Robinsons for sharing their story with me and allowing me to share it with you.

 

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I’d like to thank Rob and Maureen for their time and attention, and for the delicious Demerara Butter Crunch they gifted us to try. Milsean Shoppe is located at 2900 272 Street in Aldergrove, BC. You can find them online at www.milsean.com

 

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