Affordable Luxury

At Holme Grange Craft Village

Holme Grange Craft Village, as we have mentioned on the previous pages is known for its charming collection of independent businesses, offering a wide range of crafts and bespoke services. But did you know that among these, fashion plays a notable role with boutique shops and glass and jewellery designers providing unique and custom-made items.

Here’s a glimpse into the unique offerings you can find only at Holme Grange Craft Village:

LaLa’s Ladies fashion boutique

A luxury affordable boutique for ladies, with a variety of products including clothing, handbags, accessories and giftware.

Thomas William Jewellery

Specialists in bespoke jewellery, Thomas William Jewellery offers a high end, local manufacture and repair service, with bespoke jewellery design specialising in one-off pieces, engagement rings and wedding bands produced in Silver, Gold, Platinum and Palladium, tailor-made for you.

Enchanting Glass Designs

With the most beautiful unique pieces of glass art, Enchanting Glass Designs is a fantastic fused glass shop and studio producing different types of glass work including, fused glass jewellery, pictures, art and splashbacks as well as sand blasted work, stunning mirrors and some beautiful art work.

Holme Grange Craft Village’s focus on independent artisans and bespoke services makes it a haven for those seeking unique fashion pieces and personalised shopping experiences. Each shop and studio brings its own flair, contributing to the village’s overall charm and appeal for fashion enthusiasts

Jacqui Priestley spends 5 minutes with Dan Foxell; entrepreneur, business owner, and all-around Pokémon expert

When did you know you wanted to become a business owner and entrepreneur?

I can’t pinpoint the exact moment, but early on, I had a vision of opening my own coffee shop. I understood that to bring this vision to life, I first needed to excel as a manager. Leading a team towards a shared goal, achieving success together, and having fun while doing it was my priority.

I’m proud to say that the store I managed became one of the best in the country, and that’s when I knew it was time to venture out on my own; it’s safe to say I ended up in a very different market though!

When and how did you become an expert in all things Pokémon?

Being called an expert in the Pokémon world is a huge accolade, I’m not sure if I could honour such a title! With over 1,000 Pokémon, more being added and multiple formats, I’m sure I’ll be learning for many, many years to come.

My journey with Pokémon itself began when I was about 7 years old, my mum and grandma would buy me packs; I still remember getting my first game on the Game Boy and playing it religiously for years. Since then my knowledge has come from collecting, playing the various formats and mixing with the community! I am stocking Disney Lorcana and One

Piece which is relatively new to me, so there’s much to learn there too!

How do you come up with new ideas for your business?

Usually, they’ll come at the most random times! Honestly there are so many avenues to explore with Trading Card Games (TCGs) and ways to engage that I have more ideas than I can keep up with! I do always try to prioritise the ideas that make TCGs accessible and inclusive for everyone though.

Who

is your biggest inspiration?

It has to be my old manager Peter from when I started my last job at Domino’s. He began on minimum wage in-store and has had an awardwinning 30-year career building his own businesses. He taught me a lot, and I hope one day to be half as successful and kind as him.

What motivates you?

Sharing moments with customers is a big one. When they get a big “hit” from a pack or make their first

3D card, seeing their reactions and smiles is truly priceless and makes all the hard work worthwhile!

It’s also easy to get out of bed in the morning when you spend the day surrounded by something you love, talking with people who share that interest!

What is the best piece of advice you have been given?

“Whatever you do, do it with excellence, even if it’s taking out the bins. Excellence is what you do when no one is watching.” This advice has motivated me to always try and be the best version of myself.

What advice would you give to someone considering starting their own business?

Trust in yourself and give it everything you’ve got! You’re going to hit many bumps in the road and make plenty of mistakes but appreciate those little moments that shine through. There’s nothing more rewarding than stepping back and realising YOU did that!

What do you do to relax?

This might sound a bit sad, but I play Pokémon TCG and Pokémon GO! In my defence, I do explore a lot with Pokémon GO, and being in nature is one of my favourite pastimes. Who said games were bad hey?! I’m also a big Reading FC fan and enjoy going to games with my Dad whenever I can, not that following them has been relaxing recently!

What is your future ambition?

My primary goal is to foster a community of like-minded individuals through education and involvement, creating a safe space where anyone can enjoy their favourite hobby and be themselves.

It can be challenging when you have a hobby like this, especially in your 30s, you get judged a lot! By developing new and engaging ways to immerse people in this world, I hope to open the world of Pokémon and TCG to everyone and one day, cater to all kinds of collectors, competitors and hobbyists.

It was lovely speaking with you today, Dan. We wish you all the very best for the future.