Fanfare please! We turned THREE this weekend…Yep! Our little shop, eclectica, has been trading three years! Yip Yippeee!
It feels a little bit like a loved one’s birthday, well that’s really what it is and it has had Jodie & I feeling a tad reflective on just what we’ve done over the past three years. It’s also re-enthused us remembering all the crazy painting & decorating and hard work we put in to open for Medieval Fayre weekend 2016. Special thanks go to those who helped get us ready in time – we really couldn’t have done it without you.
We are still very much enjoying the experience of running a retail business and all that entails, even during low points our shop keeps us going. It hasn’t all been sunshine and roses and trading on the High Street can be tough. We’ve made some mistakes and made some bum buys too but overall are thrilled that products we started with continue to go well and folks are joining in our crusade to banish the beige and put a bolder, more colourful foot forward…
One of our less successful lines is the sparkly woollen flower pot hats. I may have been channelling my Bez/Happy Mondays vibe when I fell in love with these but alas! Not many customers have shared my enthusiasm!
Flip side to the flower pot debacle is the continuing success of several of the main brands we started out with.
Desigual clothing and accessories are as vibrant and joyfully different to other clothing on the High Street as they were three years ago. And we’re pretty sure that’s how a lot of folk identify eclectica; colourful, fun and (hopefully!) joyfully different. (pics of Des jacket and bags, purses, boots)
Mt. Romance sandalwood products are just BEAUTIFUL in every way. Having chanced upon the Hand & Body lotion by accident on a holiday to Albany in Western Australia, I’ve been in love with this stuff for five years now. It’s not just me either. Lots of our Mt Romance customers have found the products in Australia and have been unable to find it anywhere in the UK other than right here, in our little shop! And once they’ve tried it, they come back and buy some more. There isn’t anything not to like about this company and their products – sustainable and natural and oozing quality and goodness. The top selling product for us from the range is the skin damage repair cream.
This little tube is packed with power! Customers swear by it for severe eczema and cracked skin. It needs treating with respect as it’s more of an ointment than cosmetic cream and definitely needs keeping away from sensitive areas. I’m also a massive fan of the Calming Cream; gently fragranced with sandalwood, this is great for sunburn or irritated & dry skin. Even the humble hard bar soap is luxurious.
Jodie & I have consciously tried to source products which are eco-friendly & fairtrade from day one and continue to do so. Paper High are one of our great suppliers who work closely with skilled artisans in India and their buffalo leather range is a favourite of ours. It’s all from a family business in Rajahstan and they get fair wages and good working conditions. These bags, purses & wallets will last a long long time and age beautifully.
We’re always on the lookout for new stock lines and hope that we listen to our customers. A lot of ladies have asked us to provide something for men & we’ve now got a wee men’s department. Desigual shirts, Ookii shoes & boots, hats and Heyland & Whittle Amber Oakmoss fragranced range all make wonderful treats for the guys and seem to be going down well so far!
There’s so much I could say (probably a book!) but the main thing we both want to say is a HUGE THANK YOU to you, our loyal customers who have kept us going with your enthusiasm, kindness and well, obviously, purchases!
So here’s to the future!
Thank you all so much for your support,
Much Love
Vicki & Jodie. X
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