In April 2018, we decided it was time to pack up from our hub in Bishop Auckland for a new venture in Darlington! We knew this was not going to be easy at all, but we were definitely ready for the big move as it would help us grow as a brand; offering more for us than we’ve ever had before in previous premises. We were all very excited, but very nervous!
When we got here, we instantly knew it was going to take a while for it to look like ours; a quirky mix of wild design and interesting concepts – putting our own stamp on the shop and hoping to invite all people from around the North East to come and look at what we can do. As this was previously a computer shop, it was completely different to anything we had plans for; grey slat walls and low light ceilings, it was a no-brainer that we needed to renovate. That is why we decided to take it upon ourselves to come up with a plan to turn this lost little computer shop into Gillian Arnold’s new and improved artistry hub; boutique and production.
Before starting our renovation, this place was not suitable for our needs as a boutique. As you can see in our before photos of the shop, there was much work to get done! This included ripping out flooring, ceilings, walls, you name it. Some of us have never done this before, so we wanted to give this a go ourselves. I learned to realise others are better than me at this building malarkey. However, we’re getting there and the progress is outstanding so far!
We have so many plans for the shop: colourful outside, our beautiful patterns filling the room inside. We know it will take us a while to do it, but it will be all worth it in the end. We wish we could snap our fingers and it would just be done, however… that’s not the case and renovations aren’t simple. We know that.
Take a look at what the shop looked like when we got here!
Moving to Darlington seemed like a challenge, packing up the entire contents while still making a conscious effort to work as a brand. We nailed it though! Even if it was very stressful. People needed their orders and we were not going to let our move get in the way of that!
Thanks for reading!
