It's a wrap! Popular gift shop reopens

For those among us who like their gifts gorgeously garlanded it’s been a tough year without Beaux Cadeaux to turn to to make sure our presents are perfectly packaged.

So it’s welcome news that the gift shop has reopened at the Royal William Yard’s Residence ONE.

Set up at Frankfort Gate by Val and Richard Cass back in 2006 the gift shop quickly developed a loyal band of regular customers keen to surprise friends and family with presents from an eclectic range of unique gifts with the added bonus of having their purchases wrapped for free.

The shop thrived for more than seven years but by the end of 2013 it became clear that a slow but sustained drop in footfall was not going to be enough to make the shop viable for much longer in that location.

“It’s hard to pinpoint a particular reason,” said Val.

“Certainly the closure of the big shops like Woolworths, Derry’s and TJ Hughes didn’t help.”

So, after Christmas 2013, the difficult decision was taken to close the shop and the entire operation was moved online.

But when Richard began a new job as finance manager at Residence ONE the couple got wind that one of the property’s two small courtyard cottages was available as retail space.

“I didn’t really have to think twice,” said Val and she and her array of quirky stock soon took up residence and now look right at home in the quaint cottage with its whitewashed interior.

“There are lots of good things about running an online business but I have missed being able to speak to customers face to face,” said Val.

“And I think people like to be able to come in to the shop to actually look at what we’re selling.”

Marie Hewitt, director of Residence ONE, says the arrival of Beaux Cadeaux at the Grade II listed building has caused “a real buzz”.

Residence ONE is already home to variety of unique independent businesses like Art Source Contemporary Gallery, Individual Interior Solutions and restaurant Will’s as well as doubling as a wedding venue and Beaux Cadeaux fits right in.

“Beaux Cadeaux really complements what we have here already,” explained Marie.

“We are thrilled to welcome the business which we know has a loyal following - we look forward to seeing them here as well as those new customers who will doubtless be coming to have a look too.”

The stock familiar to regular customers is all there - Emma Bridgewater, Sass Belle, Disaster Designs and Bombay Duck to name just a few - and Val is already looking forward to how she can expand the range in the shop which is being run in tandem with the online incarnation.

“I really like Garden Trading’s products, I think we’ll be ordering from them soon,” said Val.

And she is keenly awaiting the arrival of a new delivery of stock from Santoro’s Mirabelle range.

“I love their purses and bags, but then I love everything we sell.

“I enjoy sourcing and thinking about what stock we should have in the shop and, being independent, we have the flexibility to be able to respond to customers’ requests and suggestions.”

Val is looking forward to discovering what proves most popular with visitors in the new location.

“In our old shop our collection of occasions and personalised photo frames by Ditsy were what always sold all year round – and anything featuring owls or butterflies always sells really well too.

“It will be interesting to see if it’s the same here,” Val added.

The shop opened its doors on 21 July and had its official launch at Residence ONE’s Garden Party on 26 July and Val, who has wrapped tens of thousands of presents for customers over the years, is looking forward to getting stuck in with the ribbon and sticky tape once again – even the trickiest items to parcel up which she says are “child-size cuddly toys and hobby horses!”.

“I think people have an appetite for buying things in a shop like this and I hope people will want to come and support a small local business,” she said.

“I felt so excited driving into the Royal William Yard for our first day - it’s good to be back.”