Well, what a difference a week makes!
We’ve had some beautiful dry, sunny days and it really is starting to feel like Spring is here at last. The town has felt busier, the shop has had a real buzz about it, and it’s been such a joy to see so many of you coming in and enjoying all the new arrivals.
Our colourful windows are certainly doing their job — drawing you in and (very happily!) encouraging a little spending too. It’s been so encouraging to see.
I’m delighted to say that Orientique continues to be a real success — the colours, the fabrics, the ease of wear… it’s clearly striking a chord. We’ve also had some lovely colourful Robell summer trousers arrive, which are perfect for this in-between season.
And then… the shoes arrived! Seven boxes of Caprice footwear landed in one go, which created a slightly chaotic but very cheerful few hours in the shop. At one point I was changing the windows, surrounded by boxes, helping customers try things on — and then the alarm engineer arrived to service the alarm! It was all a bit of a juggle, but everyone was wonderfully patient and seemed to quite enjoy the hustle and bustle of it all.
You’ll now find many of the new styles on the New Arrivals page (with a few more still to come), and I have to admit… I may have quietly put a pair aside for myself — this lovely pair is a current favourite!
It really is that transition time between seasons again — it seems to come around so quickly. I’ve been busy packing away boots, making space for the summer collections, rearranging cupboards and updating stock sheets. There’s been a lot going on behind the scenes!
It’s also been so nice to see some familiar faces. A special hello to Diane, who was visiting friends in Emsworth last week. She used to work in The Gift Shop next door before moving away — and I’m pleased to say she still pops in to see us (and is always tempted by something!). It was lovely to see her looking so well.
With the weather improving and so many of you heading off on holidays, celebrating special birthdays or simply wanting something new and lovely to wear, it feels like a really exciting moment in the season.
Although things are still not without their challenges, this week has felt positive and encouraging — and I’m hopeful we can keep that momentum going.
We’re looking forward to another busy week and would absolutely love to see you.
With love,
Karen x
Karen x
