The eagle-eyed eclecticats amongst you will have spotted the ‘Just A Card’ poster we’ve had displayed in the shop – now accompanied by a swanky new door sticker, but you might be wondering what the heck it’s all about: Hence this blog!

Started two years ago by Artist & Designer Sarah Hamilton the JUST A CARD campaign aims to encourage people to buy from designer/makers, independent galleries and shops by reinforcing the message that ALL purchases, however small, are so vital to the prosperity and survival of small businesses.

The campaign started when Sarah saw the quote:

“If everyone who’d complimented our beautiful gallery had bought ‘just a card‘ we’d still be open”

by store keepers who’d recently had to close their gallery due to declining sales: Utterly heart breaking. This prompted a call to action, and we here at eclectica are beyond grateful for that, and we hope you – our wonderful customers will help us spread the word.

We do love hearing from people how much they enjoy our shop – how they love that it’s bright and colourful and full of fresh and different goodies. It really does make our heart feel like it could burst, but sadly good vibes don’t pay the bills.

Vicki and I know budgets are tight – we only pay ourselves minimum wage, so we GET it, every penny has to be accounted for. We also know that sometimes buying something ‘small’ in a shop can feel a bit rubbish, or perhaps even pointless.

We’d like to say very loudly, that it isn’t! Even if you pop in to buy just a card or just a candle that makes a HUGE difference to our bottom line, and also to all the other wonderful independent shops that Ludlow is blessed with.

We’ll let you into a secret – running a shop is often a labour of love, but we wouldn’t swap it for the world (Jode’s is fond of saying “if it were easy everyone would be doing it”). Without dedication and passion from us and support from you, it would be pointless. Bottom line though, it’s sales that’ll keep us here, in this amazing town we call home and that’s where you come in!

So when you pop into Ludlow for a spot of shopping, maybe think about stopping into one of our fab independent shops for your goodies – You will find that things don’t cost any more than in one of the chains. So maybe try Harp Lane Deli for your coffee -not Costa . Get your veggies from Farmers; grab your eggs & milk at Broad Bean – not Spar. Lunch at Aragons or the Buttery, snaffle a slice of Shropshire Blue from The Mousetrap – not Tesco, a piece of cake from CSons, Pizza from Pizza 10 – not Express. A frock from us, socks from Bodenhams and so on….

We really are blessed here in Ludlow to have such a fantastic selection of independent shops and as one of the owners we’d like to say please don’t feel embarrassed to buy just a card, or just a pencil, or just a pint of milk – it makes a HUGE difference and we really REALLY appreciate it.

You may wonder how much difference it makes…Well, remember, local business owners live locally. The money that goes through their business is reinvested back into LUDLOW. Every sale that’s made goes towards paying their staff salaries, paying their council tax & their wages so they in turn can support  all the other local folk to do the same.

So eclecticats, we’d love it, if next time you’re in town and you need ‘just a card’ you try us or another independent shop. Thanks Lovelies!