6 minute read
Shop Talk
Name: Pamela and Graeme Ness Shop: Bearing Gifts Address: Church Street Troon, Scotland
Tell us a little about your shop. I’m Pamela Ness and along with my husband Graeme we run Bearing Gifts, a small independent card and gift shop in the heart of Troon.
Troon is situated on the west coast of Scotland and is a thriving seaside town. It has two primary schools minutes from the shop and we benefit from passing trade to and from the schools .
We have a great customer base as we have been trading for the past 35 years in Troon. We have young mums shopping with us who came into our shop as children, and grandparents who have been loyal customers since the shop opened.
My mum opened the shop in November 1986, as a children’s book shop with cards, and I ran it for her. Over the years we have had to adapt and change - and move with the times. More and more cards appeared and gifts started to replace the books.
Mum retired almost 25 years ago and my husband Graeme, who had been made redundant at the same time, was looking for a new challenge and we bought over the business and have run it together ever since. What are the best and worst things about working in retail? The best thing about working in retail and running a small business is without doubt the customers. Over the years we have met the most wonderful people .
The worst thing …. struggling to think, but probably not having enough time off together as we are open six days and only close for Christmas and New Year public holidays. What cards sell well for you? Cards I would hate to do without are ranges from Wendy Jones Blackett and Janie Wilson.
Humorous cards have become so popular over the past year, I think everyone needs a giggle and some light relief . It’s great when you get a group of women in who roar and laugh at your cards and end up leaving the shop with smiles on their faces and the next few months of birthday/occasion cards bought .
Rosie Made a Thing and Dandelion are firm favourites in humour at the moment. What’s the most unusual thing a customer has asked for? To be fair we don’t get many odd requests - but one customer was very surprised we didn’t sell any blow-up parrots! What makes your shop stand out? I’d like to think our fantastic selection of cards! How do trade magazines like Greetings Today help you? Trade magazines like Greetings Today keep me up to date with the latest trends and what’s new.
Name: Rachael Barnes, Partner Shop: Dragonfly Cards & Gifts Address: Market Place Knaresborough, North Yorkshire
Tell us a little about your shop. It’s a medium-sized shop situated in the historic market square of Knaresborough. The majority of our business comes from locals, a mix of young families and retired couples; plus tourists. How did you get into the greetings card industry or retail? My mum (and business partner) Rita, had a shop in nearby Wetherby when I was at school and university. I used to help out in the holidays and fell in love with the industry then. I love how you follow the same families through all the significant milestones in their lives.
I went into marketing after university, but being stuck in an office wasn’t for me. An empty property came up in the perfect spot in my home town and that’s when Dragonfly was born. What are the best and worst things about working in retail? The best thing is the interaction with the customers. As we have a loyal local customer base, we have got to know them really well over the years. It’s lovely sharing in their family celebrations.
The worst thing is that our busiest times are the times you’d want to share with your own family. Christmas is a two-day break then back to it, and the only Mother’s Day I’ve ever had off was in lockdown! What cards are selling well in your store at the moment? Grace by Cherry Orchard is doing exceptionally well. With the charcoal background they are so distinctive. I’m looking forward to stocking the men’s equivalent, Grayson. Velvet by Jonny Javelin is still our top performer, and has been for the past 15 years. Customers come up with handfuls at a time, as they love the verses. They are based just down the road from us too, so that is an extra selling point. What card range or category do you always ensure you keep in stock because of its popularity? Rainbow cards from Ling. I put in an order about every two to three weeks. These are particularly popular with tourists as they offer good visual humour and cover so many topics. What’s in your window at the moment? The new spinner from Ty stops all the children as they walk by. It is filled with beanies, keyrings, bag charms and blind boxes. All pocket money items that the kids adore. What’s by your till at the moment? Wishstrings now distributed through Second Nature. We’ve been stocking them since finding Kelly at her very first trade show, so it’s lovely to see her business going from strength to strength. The pocket hugs range is particularly popular at the moment, great when you just want a little something to let someone know you’re thinking about them. What’s the most surprising thing a customer has done or asked for? I once asked a customer if she wanted her wrapping paper rolling or folding. At which point she thrust her dog into my arms - she thought I asked if she wanted him holding! As for being asked for strange things - suitcases and travel kettles are quite high on the list for strange requests in a card shop. When it comes to card titles, I’ve been asked for a card for 90-year-old twins (what are the chances of them living together to share the card?) and ‘To my Son and Daughter-in-law on your birthdays’, because everyone marries someone with the same birth date as them! What do you think makes your shop stand out? Customers return to us time and time again for our customer service and product knowledge. If you could send anyone a card from the past or present, who would it be and why? My lovely cousin who we lost last year to breast cancer at just 38 years old. We loved sending cards in the post to each other, and the number of times I see one now and think ooh Laura would have loved that. How do trade magazines like Greetings Today help you? Greetings Today is perfect for keeping up with the latest trends and sourcing new product. It was great to get back to Spring Fair this year, but trade magazines help narrow the search.
