There's a small shop in the American state of Utah that could not look more out of place if it tried.

In a region better known for its vast deserts, Rocky Mountains and Mormon tabernacles, the Edinburgh Castle Scottish Imports shop is thriving and its kilted owner is turning on the charm.

"My name is Eric, Eric Gilzean," he says in a thick Perthshire accent.

"It's kind of a Gaelic name. You don't spell it, you gargle it."

It has been quite a week for the 86-year-old. After more than 60 years spent importing all things Scottish from his tartan motherland to America, Utah's state TV station KSL picked up the story about the "weird" Scottish imports store and its quirky shopkeeper.

"Since it aired, we've had people in every hour on the hour," says an amazed Eric.

"One lady came in and told me she had worked for me 40 years ago and that when she saw my face on the television she couldn't believe I was still alive."

"I've had calls from Australia and everything," he adds with a hint of pride.

Tucked away along Main Street in downtown Salt Lake City, under a billboard emblazoned with the saltire, Eric's shop has been providing the good folk of Utah with everything from tartan ties to William Wallace statues and See You Jimmy hats since opening in 1987.

He also does a roaring trade in other home comforts, including Hobnob biscuits, shortbread, Irn-Bru and Heinz Spaghetti Hoops.

"I came over here 62 years ago after meeting my future wife," says Eric.

"I'd had a gig as a folk singer at a festival in North Berwick and she was there too with the theatre. I followed her over here and we got married in Las Vegas."

Like most expats, Eric frequently made the journey home whenever he got homesick - and with his frequent trips came the even more frequent number of shopping requests from friends.

"I was spending half my holiday time picking up tweed jackets and tartan scarves," says Eric.

"Then one day, a guy I was buying them from asked me where my shop was and I thought, 'well maybe I should open one'."

Stocking his shelves with tartan tea towels, chanters and the occasional claymore, business grew steadily for Eric as curious locals ventured through his doors.

A major boost for the business came after the release of the film Braveheart in 1995, with Eric saying his kilt rentals have remained high ever since.

Amusing customers with the constant skirl of bagpipes droning out of his shop speakers, plus his own occasional appearance in a kilt, it has been quite the journey for the young lad from Coupar Angus who left school at the age of 13.

"The Second World War had hit and my dad and grandfather needed me to help out with the family business," says Eric.

"We had a painting and decorating business but all the lads who worked there were called up to fight."

Eric, who also happens to be the brother of Spurs and Scotland football legend Alan Gilzean, went on to start up a painter decorator business in Utah before the tartan souvenir idea took hold.

Since then, his little shop has continued to thrive and see him through the hard times, including when his wife passed away from cancer.

"She died quite a number of years ago now, but I still kept the shop going, " says Eric.

"You've got to keep looking for the good things in life."

It was his shop, in fact, which brought him love a second time - when another special lady walked through his door.

"I wasn't on the market or anything but I met Audrey when she came into the shop and we started spending time together."

"She works for that artist David Winter, the one with all the little cottages," Eric adds with obvious pride.

Since his move to America, Eric has travelled back to Scotland more than 40 times and insists he will always have a love of Scottish people and his home.

"I love reciting Burns, just like my dad did, and I love reading poetry," says Eric, who flatly refuses to retire in case he ends up in a rest home "staring at the walls".

"The biggest thing I've learned over the years is not to waste time," he says.

"Scottish people are famous for not wasting anything anyway but it is important to never let your time go to waste."

"I've been really welcomed here," adds Eric, who also admits that the Scottish sense of humour seems to go down well across the pond.

"They think I'm a comedian, but I'm just Scottish," he says laughing.

Though of course, the old Scot can't resist poking fun at the Auld Enemy for his customers when he can.

"I do like to tell them the story about the Scotsman and the Englishman," he says.

"The Englishman was bragging about how he was English. And he said, 'I was born an Englishman, I'm living as an Englishman, I'm going to die as an Englishman.'

"And the Scotsman said: Man, have you no ambition at all?"