July is Independent Retailer Month and here’s Rachael Brereton from Rebel & Rose in Chapel Allerton to discuss her business journey.
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00:00Hi, my name's Rachel and I'm the owner of Rebel and Rose here on the busy high street of Chapel Allerton.
00:07And in April, I celebrated my five year anniversary of having my shop here.
00:13So very proud, very happy and it's going really, really well.
00:17Independent Retailer Month is marked each July,
00:21but Chapel Allerton in North East Leeds celebrates independent retailers all year round.
00:26It was Rachel's prime choice for her handbag jewellery and gift shop.
00:30Chapel Allerton really is a bit of an anomaly.
00:33It's such a thriving high street.
00:35There is everything, everything here.
00:38So this is the place for me.
00:40This opportunity came up, grabbed it and I've never looked back.
00:44Rachel has experienced many retail highs and lows over the five years,
00:49the latter linked to the increases in the cost of living and adapting during the pandemic.
00:54I hadn't even been open a full year when we were closed down by the government,
00:59obviously for the lockdowns, various lockdowns.
01:03Opened again in the June, wasn't quite sure whether customers would even dare come out.
01:09And the response, again, going back to being in Chapel Allerton, just amazing.
01:15Everybody was so determined that I was going to survive,
01:18that we were all going to be able to continue our businesses.
01:22Rachel has continued to adapt post lockdowns and has been reflecting on her retail journey.
01:28I've changed a lot. You've got to be ready to move.
01:30You've got to be ready to look at the market, to pivot and to really know what's going on.
01:35And as an independent, crucial.
01:38I'm not a big company with many, many chains.
01:41I'm me and I'm a single little independent, as most of the high street is.
01:46So being really reactive and responsive has saved me.
01:50Chapel Allerton welcomes independents to the area throughout the year.
01:54The first Sunday of every month, there's a Chapel Allerton community market and it's all independent sellers.
02:02We've now got the Chapel Allerton Square and there can be sort of 40, 50, 60 plus sellers.
02:09And they make all their own stuff.
02:11They're all independents.
02:12And it's a really good way for anybody who's wanting to start this kind of business to showcase,
02:18to get immediate response, immediate customer feedback.
02:23I myself did that before opening the shop just to test the water, just to see, am I on the right lines?
02:30Do people like what I'm choosing to sell?
02:33The reaction from and interaction with Chapel Allerton residents and visitors has boosted Rachel's passion furthermore.
02:41I can't stress how grateful I am to people.
02:43They are very, very supportive.
02:45I have amazing customers.
02:46Genuinely, every single day, I'm excited to come to work.
02:50This is my business.
02:51This is absolutely incredible.
02:53I've built it and it has gone from strength to strength to strength.