COVER
Harriet & Rose
Opening a shop on King Street may not seem like the most logical thing to do during a pandemic . However , Harriet Rouse has done precisely that . And successfully . Harriet shares her experience so far .
If there ' s one thing you can say for covid ( that hasn ' t already been said ), it ' s that it ' s changed the way we shop . From stockpiling loo roll to getting to grips with buying seasonally , admitting defeat when your sourdough fails to rise , to ordering as much as you could online through local businesses , we as an island of shoppers have definitely changed our shopping habits , and for the better . Taking on a shop lease during the height of a pandemic may seem brave , perhaps even foolhardy , but that is precisely what Harriet Rouse has done . Her shop , Harriet and Rose , is now open on King Street - her first venture into bricks and mortar . Whilst not new to running her own business ( she previously co-owned an award-winning bridal jewellery business in the UK and founded the online arm of Harriet & Rose in 2019 ), the step from online to physical hasn ' t been without its sacrifices and risks . " I knew that I needed premises , having officially outgrown the room in our house that I used as a stock room about a year ago , but hadn ' t made the decision whether to go for retail or office space . Honestly , the King Street address wasn ' t even something I was considering until I walked in and realised how much more it would give the business ." And more is what it has given the business , initially founded online in 2019 . With two floors of retail space , the ground floor is open for business , with the first floor starting to host creative workshops alongside its retail space this autumn .
" I initially started Harriet & Rose because I am truly a last-minute gift buyer . When I moved to Jersey over five years ago , I quickly realised that my late-night online shopping for gifts guaranteed to arrive the next day was a thing of the past . Island living has so many pros , but fast delivery is not one of them ! I saw a gap in the market for an online gifting business that only delivered in Jersey and was founded with Jersey in mind . From working with local creatives and businesses to sourcing tide clocks that are a useful gift , I took the plunge in 2019 and launched the website ." �
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