Beehive, a beautiful store selling delightful things for the home located at 24 High Street, Chipping Norton in the Cotswolds came second place in our Christmas window competition.
We admired their appealing-looking window curated with an array of products in harmonious colours and featuring our dressing gowns, Kantha throws, and washbags. We caught up with owner Alison to ask her all about her business:
Tell us about how your business got started. What was the inspiration and what gap in the market had you identified?
I wanted to run a business which was about customers having a good experience as well as buying something. We have a website, but in the Beehive shop, customers can see, feel, smell and hear lovely things – and I think that is important – especially coming after the pandemic and now a difficult winter. I hope to put warmth and colour into their day.
What is your background and how did you develop the skills to start and manage your business?
I trained as a Textile Designer and Colourist originally, then managed Home and lifestyle stores in London before moving to Oxfordshire. I enjoy working with other creatives and finding new and inspirational products and the skill is to successfully combine them all in the same space!
What do you like best about running your business?
Having complete ownership of what to buy and how to sell it.
What are your favourite Powell Craft products?
I have been stocking Powell Craft for just over a year. I think the new Blue Exotic bird Kantha Throw is gorgeous as I am a big fan of the folklore look. My all-time favourite dressing gown is the Orange Paisley – it’s just joyous.
How has it been for you during Covid and the recession? Have you had to make a lot of changes?
I have noticed customers taking much more time and effort to pick products and thinking about their spending more. Accordingly, I am buying more of a range of products with mixed price points and concentrating on what customers rate - a good and fair provenance.
What do you look for when choosing which brand and what products to stock?
I buy things that I love! I enjoy mixing and matching different textiles, colours and textures and this is the main story at Beehive. I love bright and warm colours such as pink and turquoise, so I am always drawn to those. I like to introduce practical products which are unique and aim to stock products that are fair trade, many of our products come from local makers.
Where do you get inspiration for your window displays?
Visual merchandising is my favourite part of the job! I get inspiration from everywhere -from posters, theatre, even building sites. Big stores like Liberty and Selfridges are great but I also like thrift shops and Aladdin’s cave fabric and upholstery shops.
Do you have any exciting plans for the future that you can share with us?
Oh yes – I have just come back from some exciting Trade fairs where I have seen such lovely things for Spring 2023. We hope to refurbish bits of the shop including some new lighting for the window and a new hanging rail to showcase our lovely cotton gowns and pyjamas. I hope to buy some more loungewear as this is an area that has been really popular this last year and continue our recent success with handmade lampshades.
Find Beehive at www.beehivehome.co.uk and on Instagram @beehivehome.uk and Facebook too.
