Pride of Place

Shop Cumbria
10th August 2017
Cumbria Guide

A brand new, beautiful gift shop, has pride of place in Whitehaven town centre.

Stocking unique gifts and handmade home interiors, Dovetail Emporium opened just over a month ago, on King Street in Whitehaven. The shelves are lined with beautiful gifts, from brands such as Jelly Cat, Rag Tails and Maileg, as well as an array of local traders and UK brands, which Co-owners, Julie Roberts and Paul Brown also spend time sourcing.

Julie said: “It’s just something a bit different. I had always found it really hard to find those extra special gifts for loved ones. I always thought it would be lovely to have my own shop full of unusual and handmade gifts.”

Also stocking Frenchic furniture paint that is eco friendly and VOC free so safe for children and pets, all the furniture in the shop has been upcycled and painted by Paul and Julie, who plan to offer courses in upcycling in the near future.

She explained: “I have always loved going to markets, auctions and charity shops and sourcing bargains. It is nice to be able to get nice pieces for my home at a reasonable price and now be able to pass that saving on.

Dovetail Emporium is one of the first businesses in the town, to take advantage of new grants being offered by Copeland Borough Council. The Pride of Place Town Centre Regeneration Scheme assists business owners in improving the appearance of their shopfronts by funding half of the value required, up to £5,000. The scheme is part of a wider initiative to regenerate the town centre.

Julie believes this is a fantastic opportunity for local businesses.

She said: “It is great for people in the town to have the opportunity to receive a bit of help funding their business and making their shop look nice. Anything we can do to help improve Whitehaven is fantastic.”

As a new business owner, Julie sees the town’s full potential and her shopfront as just one step towards the greater ambition of “making Whitehaven beautiful”.

She added: “Whitehaven is a gem, a beautiful Georgian town with quite a few independent shops now, gift shops and otherwise. We really want to promote the town in any way we can, as place for everyone to visit.”