We moved here from St Austell in September 2020, in the midst of the Covid pandemic. We opened the shop downstairs in April 2021 when the restrictions were lifted.We are lucky to have taken on this very traditional shop, especially at a time when the High Streets in so many towns are in such sad decline. Jamie and I met in 1985, both of us working in hospitality. Jamie is still working, as a Resort Manager and I am running the shop. I say that running the shop is just like having a full time job without getting paid!
I have always loved shopping and buying things so now I am the lucky one, being able to indulge my love of shopping and being surrounded by the things I like until someone else decides they like it also!. Vintage décor is very much enjoying a resurgence in popularity and one of the hardest jobs is constantly sourcing new items to sell. The excitement of an upcoming Antiques Fair is palpable and the enjoyment of looking for new items that I can offer for sale in the shop is hard work but great fun.
I would say our style is a bit Liquorice Allsorts, a bit quirky, a bit different, a bit flamboyant and definitely colourful. I like vintage kitchenalia and homeware items, evocative of my childhood and teenage years in the 60’s and 70’s. We like advertising items especially enamel signs. I also like copper items, from years long past, evocative of old English country houses, a bit Upstairs Downstairs, and wonderfully used enamelware garnered from a French Brocante. Come into the shop, you will most likely be met with a whiff of Brasso or Anker wax! Some things have personal sentiment and reminders, such as my birthday in Marrakech, staying in wonderful Rhiads with the most amazing décor, richly decorated with opulent use of colour and fabrics, haggling with the stallholders in the Souks, the atmosphere literally overwhelming all the senses. Now, that’s a real shopping experience if you’re brave enough!
I've never had an actual shop before, I've rented 'space' in a couple of Antiques Centres and have always enjoyed doing outside car boots and visiting Antique Fairs.Anyway, we opened in April 2021 with excitement and some nervous anticipation. I'm so pleased to have fellow new traders, Zakka in Queen Street as well and Andy’s Antiques up across the road And of course, the other existing more established businesses in town, too many to mention. And the popular Q Street cafe on the corner ensures we have a steady stream of people passing by. I love to hear about the Queen Street shops in past times, the shops that have been there before, the butchers, the hairdresser, the Post Office etc. We’re tucked just around the corner out of sight from the top of Fore Street but driving through on the A390 you will see our planted milk churns outside the shop. We are lucky to have lovely big shop front windows which I enjoy decorating, usually themed, and we’ve had many lovely comments and compliments which is very much appreciated. There are so many little artisan and individual shops in Lostwithiel, it is heaven to walk around, for us when we are out walking our two dogs, it's one of life's simple pleasures seeing people opening up their shops on a warm summer morning. Small business owners doing business the traditional way. I am passionate about it, it's so important to ensure these shops thrive as they are a vital part of the town's life blood.
