The year 2020 will forever be etched in our memories as a time of immense trials and tribulations. From the global COVID-19 pandemic to social unrest and political upheaval, it was a year that tested our collective resilience and forced us to adapt to a new normal. Looking back, it was a year of unprecedented challenges and resilience.
It was also the year that I took the biggest step of my career, and a huge one in life in general, buying my own shop, with my husband Nick. It seems crazy now - we had no idea what was going to happen, we weren't allowed to trade, and we had no idea when that would change. But sitting at home with the children, not particularly loving the home schooling, and paying (a lot of) rent on a shop I couldn't work from, I had to think of a plan. We needed more control of our future.
The place that sprung to mind was right in the centre of the Village. That village being Burbage, where I was born & bred, and have lived in for most of my life. At that time it was a kitchen showroom, but most locals would always remember it as being Ann's Wool Shop. I certainly did - I've got fond memories of visiting it with my lovely Gran, playing with the tubes of buttons while she chose patterns and yarn.
I plucked some courage from somewhere, found the phone number, and called the owner of the Kitchen place. At first I think he thought I was a bit odd, but then he said they were thinking of selling the property. It was fate!
Cut forward a few months, and we were the proud new owners of 60 Church Street. That bit sounds easy - it wasn't. There was no commercial lending to be found, and we had to beg, steal & borrow to get the money together, but we did it.
The renovation had to happen fast - from when we got the keys to when we could reopen in December (but only FOR December) was just 7 weeks. Good job Nick is a builder!
