Emma McKinney talks to a woman leading the charge in bringing originality to bland high streets dominated by chain stores.
With a high-flying sales job which saw her jetting around the globe clinching international deals, many could have been forgiven for thinking Michelle Jamie had it all.
But despite earning an enviable salary working for food giant Mars, Michelle was quickly beginning to discover hopping from one plane to the next was coming at a price – leaving her suffering serious kidney problems caused by a gruelling work regime that was leaving her no time to look after herself.
“I knew, for the sake of my health, I had to make a change and I realised it was time to pursue my childhood dream of owning my own business, which would mean I could settle down in the UK and make sure I was eating properly and taking care of myself,” said Michelle, who took the brave step of ditching her successful career to open a shop.
And, much to her surprise, the jump from employee to employer was an instant success with her store Wysteria Lane, in Shrewsbury, whipping up a hysteria among shoppers – selling out all its stock of vintage-style fashion, homeware, gifts and accessories within days of opening.
That was four-and-a-half years ago and Michelle hasn’t looked back. While the recession was leaving some businesses floundering, Wysteria Lane was growing, quickly opening a second store in Shrewsbury and launching a website attracting customers from around the world, and turning over a million pounds a year.
The company’s success was not going unnoticed, being named as Britain’s best gift shop by judges of The Greats Independent Retailer of the Year Awards and even attracting, perhaps arguably the unlikely, attention of Birmingham City Council.
So impressed were those working on the local authority’s Retail Development Programme – an initiative supporting independent retailers who want to set up or expand within Birmingham and, in turn, help make it the shopping capital of England – they approached Michelle, urging her to open a Wysteria Lane in the second city.
“I couldn’t believe it when, out of the blue, bosses from the council turned up at one of our stores in Shrewsbury saying they had heard about us, loved what we were doing and really wanted us to bring it to Birmingham,” says Michelle, aged 35.
“They said they wanted to do all they could to make sure it happened and even offered us a grant to help open a shop in Birmingham.
“At first I was really sceptical, I couldn’t believe that they had chosen my business or that they were offering us what felt like money for nothing.”
But as council bosses invited her on a tour of the city centre, suggesting possible locations for the shop, Michelle realised they were for real.
“It was such an incredible opportunity that I really couldn’t refuse,” adds Michelle.
With the help of a £10,000 grant from the council to fund rent, rates, marketing, fixtures and fittings, Wysteria Lane was opened last October in the city’s Pavilions shopping centre – becoming one of more than 100 businesses in the city to have benefited from the Retail Development Programme.
Already it has proved a hit, being named as one of Drapers top 50 most inspiring independent shops of 2011 and also winning an award for it’s eye-catching window displays by bosses at Retail Birmingham.
Stepping inside the shop on the ground floor of the centre it’s easy to see it’s appeal. A pink infused cornucopia of delights, it’s a thrilling smorgasbord of treats and trinkets, from packets of flower decorations for cup cakes at £3.50 to elaborate Regency-style sideboards at a budget-busting £1,000.
From shoes, clothes and jewellery to gorgeous gifts and home accessories, even the furniture the products are displayed on is for sale. Along with one-off pieces sourced from independent clothing brands like Critical Mass and B Young, the store also sells accessories by better-known labels such as Cath Kidston and Bombay Duck.
It also promotes work by local independent designers, with Midland-based Charlotte Alexander, who produces handmade cards, and Laima Rullis, who makes bespoke jewellery, both supplying and working at the store.
And Michelle’s flying the flag for small shops, becoming one of the few independent stores to open in any of Birmingham’s major shopping centres.
“We fell in love with the Pavilions immediately; its unique feel and central location was perfect,” she says. “We were thrilled that the centre wanted to have us as we are not an established high street name.
