by Niki
23. June 2010 16:31
In her current BBC series, retail guru Mary Portas, a.k.a. Mary Queen of Shops, tells us that the great British high-street is suffering. Small independent shops are going out of business with the rise of huge supermarkets. She says that 5,000 small shops closed last year - We’ll miss our neighbourhood shops when they’ve gone... so why not incorporate some local style itmes into your wedding gift list?
It’s not just bakers and greengrocers that we have at hand on our British high street. Next Monday's show (28th June) will see Mary revamping a homewares store in Kingston. Do we really want to be left with only massive retail parks miles from our homes so that we have to journey out in the car to buy a unique gift for a friend’s birthday or browse for accessories to spruce up a tired outfit or items for your home.
Not only are there are benefits to using local wedding service providers, such as caterers using local produce, or locally grown flowers in your displays, that will cut down on air miles and also benefit the local economy; but you can also think about how you incorporate local into your new home when compiling your gift list. Using the wedding list service of a huge department store may be convenient, but do they offer the unique items that will make your home reflect your personal style? Can you incorporate one-off items made by independent designers?
An independent gift list, on which you can request items from a number of retailers whether they are online based, high street or local, will give your home a unique flavour rather than copy-cat style. Set yourself up with a free independent gift list manager here on Wedding Notebook.
Are there local designer-makers that you adore, or smaller retailers that you can support who offer great quality alternatives to mass-produced items? You may even have friends who are self-employed craftspeople whose stuff you'd love to include on your list.
It is hard for me to suggest local stores to add to your list as I can't tell where you live. Here are a few online stores who champion the local:
Warren Evans beds
Handmade in their London workshops, these beds are made from FSC wood and when delivered are put together for you – all part of the service for hardly any more money that you would buy flat-pack elsewhere. If you need to move the bed then they are easy to take apart and reassemble, and should one part of the bed be damaged you can get a replacement section rather than having to buy a whole new bed. They have won awards for Best Ethical Retailer and Best Green Company – so you can rest assured... and whatever else newly-weds get up to under the sheets...
Tip: Ask them to add a couple of inches to the legs for loads of storage underneath for homes that need to maximise on space
Etsy
The ultimate department website of purely home-made, vintage and independently created homewares, accessories and gifts. The only downside is that the prices are shown in dollars and you have to look carefully to see if the seller is UK based. Other smaller UK based versions of etsy include Make It Sell It, Dream Aid, Ugly Be Gone & Not Mass Produced
Florence & Florence
Re-loved homewares – these lovely ladies have scoured the country for second-hand items and restored them to their original beauty. Old wool becomes a chunky hand-crocheted cushion cover; an old vase is lovingly brought back to its former glory. They just need homes to be loved in.
Next Monday (28th June) Mary will be revamping a homewares business in Kingston as part of her Queen of Shops series on the BBC, and there must be lots of similar stores up and down the country. So why not take a walk round your local area with your partner on a Saturday and see if there is anything you can add to your independent wedding list. You will enjoy dreaming up a new look for your home and your guests will appreciate being able to buy your wedding gift so locally.
Whether you think Mary Portas is brash and rude, or that she really is breathing life into the local and charity retail sectors – take a leaf out of her book and pop along to your local shops to encourage them – Tell them what you love about them, or even let them know how they could improve to make you shop there more often. You’ll feel the benefits when they are providing just what you need, just where you need it – locally.