Collate Interiors was born in 2018 in the form of a bricks and mortar shop in the small town of Axminster in East Devon. It began like a dream, the sun was shining, the locals were unbelievably supportive, and absolutely delighted to have a new, dynamic, classy shop in the town. The cherry on top was to be featured by ‘The Shopkeepers’ blog very shortly after opening. The first couple of years sailed by, the shop went from strength to strength… and I was having the best time - sourcing beautiful stock from flea markets and auctions, I had the pleasure of working with some of the best creatives in the Southwest and my customers were enthusiastic and complementary… then 2020 hit.
The start of the year was slow, but by March it was evident something we had never imagined was unfolding. The next two years was a complete blur, was I open, was I closed, were we wearing masks, were people even allowed to touch the stock? In total I think I was probably closed more than I was open! It was an unbelievably stressful time to be running a high street shop, in fact a business in general. But one thing I can wholeheartedly say, is that the continued support from my customers was unwavering. Kinds words, thoughtful gifts, the online support was constant and the special visits made in person when I was actually allowed to be open.
In all honesty, the shop never really recovered after that… just when Covid seemed to be under control, our electricity and gas bills went through the roof and we were left wondering if we were going to be able to heat our houses, let alone buy ourselves a treat from a shop like mine… AND THEN(!) the ‘cost of living crisis’ began to rear its ugly head, and people then became scared to spend money. The shop and I limped through the pandemic, already on our knees emotionally, and then another kick… this was when I realised the shop was probably not going to make it to the end of 2022. I tried other various ideas to keep afloat but it just wasn’t working.
I then moved the shop online, but this did not enthuse me at all. After knowing the delight of having a physical shop, never knowing who will walk through the door, or happen upon you by accident. The lovely (and not so lovely) people I would meet. Watching visitors browse and enjoy the atmosphere… this does not happen online. And it wasn’t what I signed up for… which means that I didn’t really put much effort into the online version of Collate. All I knew is that I had worked too hard to let go of my beloved brand, and it has taken a year or so to realise in which direction I should be headed.
Being a shopkeeper was my dream job… if I could have done it for fun and it not had to pay my bills I would have drifted on without a care in the world. But it wasn’t like that. I have no regrets though. At the beginning of the journey I was incredibly enthusiastic and in retrospect, completely naive about the realities and the trials and tribulations of the independent highstreet! Coming through nearly 5 years and having everything thrown at me, I have gained a huge amount of experience which I will cherish forever, and who knows maybe one day I will return to shopkeeping…
Looking forward to the new version of Collate will see me return to my original training… of Furniture Conservation before I got distracted by retail! The new workshop will be launching soon…