Many of you will have noticed that there have been works taking place in the former Laura Ashley shop and have been dropping by to find out more. It’s great to see there is so much interest, dare we say excitement around the re-opening of this premises.
Finding the right fit
Having such a prime retail space in the heart of Tenterden is something we are very proud of, but the responsibility of finding the right tenant that will add to Tenterden’s varied and independent retail offering has taken time and been quite a mission.
Robert Martine, Director of Martine Waghorn who marketed the unit received a lot of interest from many different parties when marketing the shop, including some enquiries from national retail chains, but we all agreed that finding the right tenant was key. Robert explains “Tenterden has such a special High Street and a rich and diverse range of independent businesses it would have been irresponsible to not consider this when looking at potential tenants. Being in such a prominent position, we wanted to ensure that the shop enhances the current high street and didn’t just bring another chain to the town”.
We think we have found the perfect fit, something to enhance Tenterden’s retail experience, bring in visitors and support the local community. We think something very special is coming to Tenterden.
The main shop on the High Street will be called Hop, Stitch and Jumper. This will sell quality homewares and lifestyle items along side high end haberdashery products, yarns and fabrics.
If you have visited their existing shop in Maidstone, you will already know that the shop will be beautifully presented and will look fantastic in our town.
There’s more…
There will be a separate shop accessible from Sayers Lane which will be called Celestine. Again the focus will be on quality products, but this shop will retail products to care for the mind body and spirit including crystals, oils and books. There will also be treatment rooms and workshop spaces.
Both shops will be run by Symbol Family Support Services with the support of the Symbol Trust a registered charity. This is an incredible organisation that supports people with learning difficulties by providing access to employment by assisting with gaining valuable work experience, undertaking retail related qualifications and paid employment.
The shops are due to open in August, we will be announcing the date soon, along with details of workshops and classes that will be running from the premises.