Indie gift retailer Feather Robins Gifts is set to expand, with a second outlet scheduled to open next month.
Owner Lindsey Scott-Walker launched her business in September 2022 with a 600sq ft unit in a small courtyard shopping village in the Northampton suburb of Duston.
The new premises is on the ground floor of Weston Favell Shopping Centre, which is about nine miles away on the other side of Northampton town centre.
Lindsey said: “There has been a noticeable decline in footfall since Christmas at the Duston shop; our busiest day of the week was Saturday and it is now Tuesday. This is a huge risk but one I think is worth taking.
“At 448sq feet, it’s a small shop, which was previously a jewellers. I’m keeping some of the original display cabinets as they have great lighting and storage above the units. On the other side of the shop will be a range of different-sized spinners of greeting cards, which are very popular in Duston.
“There has been a noticeable decline in footfall since Christmas at the Duston shop; our busiest day of the week was Saturday and it is now Tuesday. This is a huge risk but one I think is worth taking”
Owner Lindsey Scott-Walker
Both shops will sell similar products. Lindsey described the offer as “quirky, fun and colourful.” She said: “We stock varied price points, from pocket money ranges to candles, jewellery, baby clothes, up to kimonos. Our most popular gift brands are Maileg, Powell Craft, My Doris, and East of India. My vision was to deliver a destination shop where the consumer could get all their gifting in one store. One of our customers sums up the Duston shop as like ‘walking into an open pirate treasure chest full of lovely things’.”
Lindsey has started teasing the new store on social media, and the campaign will be ramped up when she gets the keys on May 1. The aim is to open on May 28. “The shops will have a totally different vibe from each other,” she said. “Duston is quirky with feather chandeliers, whereas Weston Favell doesn’t present the opportunity for internal statement pieces. To compensate for this, the exterior is going to be very Instagrammable with flower walls and stand-out frontage. The vision is for customers to take photos by the flowers, post them on socials and share.
“I will also be inviting the local press to come and take a look. Opening day will be a subtle event. The plan is to open on a Tuesday so the team can build their confidence before a busy weekend, it will also give us a chance to iron out any teething issues!”
She is looking forward to the new venture but admits she feels “terrified – there is so much to think about… recruitment, HR and the dreaded rotas – none of these things applied when it was just me doing everything. For now, I will focus on getting the stockroom in order for May 1, which I didn’t do in Duston and it has never recovered!”
She added: “In 2022, several life events allowed me to rethink my career path. Being a confessed shopaholic I opened the only gift shop in Duston, and I have catered to all the locals’ gift needs.
“Why is it called Feather Robins? It’s in honour of my parents. Twelve years ago, when Dad died, wherever in the world I was, I would find a white feather, and my sister also had a robin visit her garden. When Mum died in January 2022, my sister had two robins visit her garden. Hence the name.”