Meet our New Stockist; Chirpy

We are really excited to introduce Jo who owns wonderful gift shop Chirpy in Leeds, which has just started stocking IzziRainey products.

Hi Jo! Please tell us a bit about Chirpy...
I see that you took Chirpy over from the previous owner...had you always dreamt of opening your own shop?
Not really - I knew I wanted to do something different as I’d been working in a corporate environment for over 20 years. It was a matter of right opportunity at the right time - Chirpy was the shop I always went into to buy my cards & gifts and it seemed like the perfect opportunity when Harriet was selling it to have a complete change in career. Actually I'd always secretly wanted to be a florist!

Wow what a change. As you know all of our products are designed by Izzi and manufactured in the UK, is this something you feel passionate about? Do you stock a lot of other British designer makers?
Yes, I love to support British made products. I’ve been amazed since taking over Chirpy at how many talented people there are in Yorkshire and the UK making beautiful things. It’s a real selling point for the products in Chirpy that we are supporting small independent makers. 

It is great to find British designer makers. If it possible to, do you like to stock local artists in your shop?
Since taking over Chirpy I’ve introduced the ‘Artist in Residence’ initiative, which offers local artists a chance to exhibit their work upstairs in the gorgeous light-filled gallery space. Their work is there for between 4-6 weeks, selling original art, prints, cards & textiles - whatever they use to show their work. We have a launch party at the beginning of their residency, which has included colouring in sessions, painting with the artist and of course cakes! It’s a great way of promoting local artists and adding another product to the shop’s range. It’s been so successful I'm already taking bookings for the Spring 2018. 

It is so good that you aim to promote local artists- it is so important! You have lots of wonderful fantastic products in store, where do you tend to source your products from?
I was lucky that the previous owner gave me all her supplier details which I’m still working through! I also do my own research on line and visit tradeshows such as Top Drawer and Harrogate Home & Gift, to find new suppliers and meet with existing ones. I’m also lucky that Chirpy has got a reputation amongst independent makers that I get approached on a daily basis by people who would like an opportunity to sell their products. I can't take them all but I try and give them an opportunity if I think their products fit in with Chirpy, or if not at least give them some feedback as to why not.

I see that you have lots of workshops in the shop. What sort of things are these?
The workshops are a  very important part of Chirpy - we’re lucky to have the upstairs space to host them and a network of talented providers to run them. We run a wide range, from sewing, ceramics,  book binding, calligraphy, ragrugging and even doodling- the list goes on. I've also introduced the 1st 6-week course, LifeDrawing, which gave people an opportunity to develop their skills over the length of the course - i even did that one myself and was so pleased with the results considering I always thought I couldn't draw! 

Do you have theme for your shop or do you like to mix it up?
I like to mix it up, whilst keeping an eye on what is on trend. I do seem to have been taken over by cacti & succulents at the moment, because I love them but also a lot of the suppliers and artists are making or drawing them. I also love a Pompom!

What first drew your attention to IzziRainey products? 
To be honest, it was my work experience girl who worked with me a few weeks ago who picked the product. I gave her a budget and asked her to choose something which she thought her age range would like as I don't get a lot of customers in the 16 - 24 age bracket. She picked these based on her likes and also what she though was in keeping with Chirpy. I was delighted when she chose them and extended the range of what she had chosen. Hopefully she likes the fact that I trusted her judgement and was prepared to stock them in Chirpy on her recommendation! And they do suit the shop and my taste too!

I see that you have lots of workshops in the shop. What sort of things are these?
The workshops are a  very important part of Chirpy - we’re lucky to have the upstairs space to host them and a network of talented providers to run them. We run a wide range, from sewing, ceramics,  book binding, calligraphy, ragrugging and even doodling- the list goes on. I've also introduced the 1st 6-week course, LifeDrawing, which gave people an opportunity to develop their skills over the length of the course - i even did that one myself and was so pleased with the results considering I always thought I couldn't draw! 

Do you have theme for your shop or do you like to mix it up?
I like to mix it up, whilst keeping an eye on what is on trend. I do seem to have been taken over by cacti & succulents at the moment, because I love them but also a lot of the suppliers and artists are making or drawing them. I also love a Pompom!

What first drew your attention to IzziRainey products? 
To be honest, it was my work experience girl who worked with me a few weeks ago who picked the product. I gave her a budget and asked her to choose something which she thought her age range would like as I don't get a lot of customers in the 16 - 24 age bracket. She picked these based on her likes and also what she though was in keeping with Chirpy. I was delighted when she chose them and extended the range of what she had chosen. Hopefully she likes the fact that I trusted her judgement and was prepared to stock them in Chirpy on her recommendation! And they do suit the shop and my taste too!

Thank you so much Jo. If anyone is ever nearby, you should pop by. http://www.chirpystore.co.uk​

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