38-39_Medici.qxp_Grid 03/12/2024 15:45 Page 1
Retailer Up Close
Left: The Advents festooned Medici window. Below: The whole of the back room of the shop was a haven to Advents in the run up to December 1.
TIM-ELY SHOWMANSHIP
London’s South Kensington is famed for being the home of the V&A, Natural History Museum and Science Museum, but it also has another much-loved historic treasure trove - the awardwinning, Medici Gallery shop. Having delighted Londoners as well as tourists with its phenomenal greeting card selection and exuberant window displays since the 1930s, fingers and toes are currently crossed that TfL’s redevelopment plans which would force the quirky card retailing landmark to move, do not come to fruition any time soon. PG enjoyed a behind the scenes catch up with Tim Reynolds, retail manager and Charlie Wheatley, assistant manager. 38 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
How do you get the contents of Mr McGregor’s garden, Peter Rabbit and chums, outsize cut outs of Van Gogh, a harvest of sunflowers and/or a feast of Frida Kahlo accoutrements into a London taxi? Just ask Tim Reynolds and Charlie Wheatley, the frontmen of Medici Gallery as they know no
fear, such is their passion to re-purpose any props from The Retas greeting card retailing awards, or anywhere else for that matter that can be put to good use to add to the theatre of the store. “We don’t have a budget for props so anything interesting that we can salvage from skips or items people throw away are potential treasures for Medici Gallery,” says Tim Reynolds, whose creative mastery encompasses calligraphy, the ability to pimp up his many PG Live Golden/Silver and Sunshine tickets as well as curating a showstopping array of greeting cards from hundreds of different publishers. It comes as no surprise to learn that Tim’s thesis for his graphic design degree, several moons ago, was on Christmas cards. “It does very much feel like I was meant to join Medici,” says Tim, with a knowing chuckle.
A wedding favour Wedding cards are a big part of greeting card stores, but Medici Gallery took it to the next level a few months ago by hosting the wedding photos! “That was a first for us,” said Charlie, still unable to quite believe what happened. “A couple getting married using our ‘back garden’ as a backdrop – it was absolutely fabulous!” It all came about as Charlie happened to go out of the shop to see a wedding couple being posed by their photographer using the shop as the background. Above: Medici’s courtyard oasis was the “So, I invited them in, mentioning we had a courtyard, perfect backdrop for the wedding couple. which would make a great backdrop.” So, the wedding party trooped through the store and downstairs to the small, but perfectly formed courtyard where its vibrant blue paint, lush green plants and colourful decorations contrasted nicely with the traditional white dress and cream suit. “It’s not an unusual thing for people to have a photo taken outside our shop, but to have a wedding couple was a first for us, but I did miss a trick as I completely forgot to give them a wedding card and we stock so many lovely ones!” said Charlie.