Business Start Up?
Isn't it incredible,
how small,
seemingly insignificant,
unplanned moments..
..... can change life's direction?
Our business began almost 30 years ago..with..
No fanfare.
No business plan.
No money.
After a few of life's unexpected turns I was standing in the dole queue in Littlehampton....I've queued in better places.
I'd walked from Arundel to sign on...didn't have the bus fare..
My friend Allie happened to walk past and glanced in.
"What are you doing in there?" she mouthed.
" Long story." I mouthed back, eyes welling up.
She waited for me and over coffee I told her...and we brainstormed.
We had met a couple of years before, working at the outlet store attached to Body Shop headquarters in Littlehampton.
We were both into handcrafts,
.....we could make things and sell them on market stalls?
Allie was now at home with 2 small children... it would work for her too.
We found an old warehouse in Arundel ..the warehouse Nass and I are in now... it was piled high with bankrupt stock from a kitchen shop...and... empty for so long..damp was running down the walls....and it was filthy dirty.
But we were determined.... and when another friend from the Body Shop joined us....
Ambiance was born.
Body Shop friends arrived in force and helped clear, clean and paint the warehouse....in only a few days...
....we needed to get it open.
Even Gordon Roddick, Body Shop owner, came to that opening party.
We started with a few cheap items of junk shop furniture and began teaching ourselves to paint and decorate.
Very simply at first....
Distressing.....aging....
Mostly we learned from old books.
The occasional day at an Adult Ed class, when funds stretched to it.
"Let's do some decoupage, " said Allie.
"WHAT is that?"
She laughed...
" Cuttin' and stickin' "
As we were so hidden away, one summer our landlord let us use this empty shop...
A well known antique dealer, looking for someone to decorate Victorian bamboo........with decoupage..
....happened to walk by...
What are the chances?
and for the next few years...
.....that's what we did...
#decoupage #bohochic #decoupage #paintedfurniture #Littlehampton #thebodyshop
how small,
seemingly insignificant,
unplanned moments..
..... can change life's direction?
Our business began almost 30 years ago..with..
No fanfare.
No business plan.
No money.
After a few of life's unexpected turns I was standing in the dole queue in Littlehampton....I've queued in better places.
I'd walked from Arundel to sign on...didn't have the bus fare..
My friend Allie happened to walk past and glanced in.
"What are you doing in there?" she mouthed.
" Long story." I mouthed back, eyes welling up.
She waited for me and over coffee I told her...and we brainstormed.
We had met a couple of years before, working at the outlet store attached to Body Shop headquarters in Littlehampton.
We were both into handcrafts,
.....we could make things and sell them on market stalls?
Allie was now at home with 2 small children... it would work for her too.
We found an old warehouse in Arundel ..the warehouse Nass and I are in now... it was piled high with bankrupt stock from a kitchen shop...and... empty for so long..damp was running down the walls....and it was filthy dirty.
But we were determined.... and when another friend from the Body Shop joined us....
Ambiance was born.
Body Shop friends arrived in force and helped clear, clean and paint the warehouse....in only a few days...
....we needed to get it open.
Even Gordon Roddick, Body Shop owner, came to that opening party.
We started with a few cheap items of junk shop furniture and began teaching ourselves to paint and decorate.
Very simply at first....
Distressing.....aging....
Mostly we learned from old books.
The occasional day at an Adult Ed class, when funds stretched to it.
"Let's do some decoupage, " said Allie.
"WHAT is that?"
She laughed...
" Cuttin' and stickin' "
As we were so hidden away, one summer our landlord let us use this empty shop...
A well known antique dealer, looking for someone to decorate Victorian bamboo........with decoupage..
....happened to walk by...
What are the chances?
and for the next few years...
.....that's what we did...
We've come a little way since those early days.....Liberty London 4th floor for 3 years for one.
If you'd like to find out more..and see what English & French antique furniture we have..as well as our current decoupage upcycled items...do give us a follow on Instagram...
we would love to see you.
#decoupage #bohochic #decoupage #paintedfurniture #Littlehampton #thebodyshop
