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Retailer Focus
Birthday
Buddies J
o explained how the friendship with Sean came about despite being located in towns five counties apart: “In the early days I set up a Facebook page and found a shop a few hundred miles away that I really connected with. They seemed to be new to the world of greetings and stationery too and we started messaging each other.” It transpired that both Jo and Sean not only had opened their shops on the same day, but also had very similar tastes in both cards and stationery. “Some 11 years later we’re firm friends, we meet at trade shows, share ideas and generally support each other, it really works,” Jo told PG. “It can be lonely when you start a new business, and I couldn’t imagine not having Sean as my sounding board, mentor and friend!” Here, Jo and Sean share their greeting card retailing tales.
“Brexit, global pandemic, three national lockdowns, high inflation, growth of online, rising fuel and raw material costs - but we’re still here!” exclaimed Sean Austin, owner of Austin & Co in Malvern on April 21 as he shared the marking of his retailing business’ first decade with his good friend Jo Barber, owner of No14 Ampthill, who opened her shop on exactly the same day. With the pandemic having stopped these two Retas’ award-winning retailers from celebrating their first decade’s anniversary last year, PG persuaded these retailing buddies to share their stories. Above: No. 14 Ampthill and Austin & Co are still going strong after their 11 years of trading. Below: Then and now - Jo’s first tiny window and opening day at her current premises. Bottom: Jo Barber.
Jo Barber, owner of No14 Ampthill… Having spent over 20 years working my way up the corporate ladder and securing one of the best jobs I could have hoped for, I always hankered after my own shop, selling the things I loved. After meeting up with a good friend in early 2011 and being told she’d received a life-changing diagnosis, I knew I had to make that leap. It meant leaving behind a good salary, a company car and all the perks but, sometimes, these things aren’t enough, I suddenly realised life was too short - I had to open my shop! I remember attending Spring Fair before I’d even secured any premises, walking around in utter amazement. There was so much to take in and, while I think I have a pretty good head for business, it was a completely different world for me. We were in the depths of a recession so it wasn’t too tricky 30
PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
finding an empty shop and I managed to secure the perfect lease that was strong enough to protect me, but flexible enough should I find myself needing larger premises. I still remember the awful feeling in the pit of my stomach the day I opened, it was a glorious sunny Spring Day and I was shivering with nerves. What if nobody came, what if nobody liked what I sold, what if the shop had burnt down
overnight? Secretly I hoped it had burnt down overnight, so I could say I did at least try, and then could go back to a proper job! Strangely there wasn’t a queue forming outside, surely those A4 printed signs in the window saying ‘opening soon’ should’ve meant a stampede? Thankfully though, people did start to come in and, when I shut up shop that evening having taken £55.20, I was the happiest I could have been, though it’s a good job my overheads were low! When I started out, there were many big brand names, but I decided to major with Caroline Gardner, and we still stock the company’s ranges today. I didn’t want to be the run-of-the-mill card shop, I
