Hi!

[Jojo]

Hi all, I'm Jo, & I've recently (05/10/10) opened a small jewellery shop in Leicestershire.

It's going well so far, lots to do, and with 2 small children it's difficult as I can only be open 3 days of the week. Just wanted to introduce myself :D

Jo

[ps_bond]

Hi Jo - what do you make?

[Jojo]

Hi Peter, I make a bit of everything, from wedding & engagement rings to bespoke designs back to traditional - I recently made at 18ct yellow gold "Dearest" ring!

Jo

[silken]

Hello!

Would love to see some of your jewellery! What part of Leicestershire is your shop in? I'd love to some day have a bricks and mortar shop but it seems like such a huge commitment.

[Jojo]

Hi Emily, I'm in Burbage - between Coventry & Leicester. It was a huge leap as my children are only 2 & 4, but the rent is low & we just had to go for it. I'll see if I can attach some pictures... What kind of thing do you do?
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[Babette InProgress]

Big hello from me :)

[Patstone]

Hi Jo, I like the ring, very nice. I hope your venture into the "shop world" goes better than mine did. Lol. All history now, but annoying and frustrating at the time.


Hi Emily, I'm in Burbage - between Coventry & Leicester. It was a huge leap as my children are only 2 & 4, but the rent is low & we just had to go for it. I'll see if I can attach some pictures... What kind of thing do you do?
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[Jojo]

Hi Babette!

Why Patstone - what happened?

[Patstone]

My daughter and I decided to share a shop with a lady that made cushions and bags and accessories for the home. We met at several craft fairs and we were quite often put on the next table to each other so we became friends. She worked for an estate agent and she said there was a cheap shop that was in a small shopping precinct, so we had a look at it and it seemed ideal, about a week before we were due to open she brought in a load of cheap silver plated stuff that a friend of hers had made, selling for peanuts, and of course it made our stuff look expensive in comparison, although ours was solid silver and hallmarked. That was the first problem we had and it just got worse and worse so we pulled out 3 months before the end of the six month contract finished and just paid up the last few months and took all our stuff out. To make matters worse, we didnt sell a thing while we were in there, found out afterwards that the days she was supposed to work there she put her eleven year old in to look after the shop, not a happy experience.

[Jojo]

That sounds like a nightmare - I'm sorry it didn't work out, & hopefully it hasn't completely put you off?


My daughter and I decided to share a shop with a lady that made cushions and bags and accessories for the home. We met at several craft fairs and we were quite often put on the next table to each other so we became friends. She worked for an estate agent and she said there was a cheap shop that was in a small shopping precinct, so we had a look at it and it seemed ideal, about a week before we were due to open she brought in a load of cheap silver plated stuff that a friend of hers had made, selling for peanuts, and of course it made our stuff look expensive in comparison, although ours was solid silver and hallmarked. That was the first problem we had and it just got worse and worse so we pulled out 3 months before the end of the six month contract finished and just paid up the last few months and took all our stuff out. To make matters worse, we didnt sell a thing while we were in there, found out afterwards that the days she was supposed to work there she put her eleven year old in to look after the shop, not a happy experience.

[Patstone]

It made me think about whether I really was happy being a shopkeeper too, which I hadnt really thought too much about before. Its a bit of a commitment and it was quite difficult trying to juggle being a housewife to a husband who works nights, being a shopkeeper three days a week and trying to make jewellery and go to craft fairs, also taking my two dogs who are still young out for a couple of hours to let off steam. I am retired now, and I take my hat off to all the young women who do all of that and have little people to look after too, they really have to cope with a lot of pressure.

[Petal]

Hi Peter, I make a bit of everything, from wedding & engagement rings to bespoke designs back to traditional - I recently made at 18ct yellow gold "Dearest" ring!

Jo

Hi Jo and a warm welcome from me too. Your jewellery looks FAB to me, I especially like the pod earrings and would think looking at your pieces you should be busy in the lead up to Christmas.

[ps_bond]

Sorry, having asked what you make it would be polite for me to acknowledge you did so! Like the style of both pieces - just one thing made me twitch slightly is that the point on the pear stone looks exposed (and possibly vulnerable?).

[Anna Wales]

Hi Jo, I'm a newcomer too. It sounds as if the shop's going well. Do you do repair work as I found this was a nice steady source of income?