Serving the customers ourselves means that they get a real insight into how our things are made. She elaborates, “What’s lovely is that you hear the story behind the purchase; the intended recipient, why they love it, where it will go, etc. Obviously, it’s very satisfying to receive the full recommended price on our work too. We plough a percentage back into the co-op to help pay our overheads and advertising. We’ve also learnt interesting things along the way, such as the two different music licenses we have to pay so that we can play music or the radio, health and safety issues, how to deal with tricky customers, publicity, window displays and how to price our work.” Both Jane and Jemima agree that working as a
Robyn Coetzee: Kiln-formed Glass Hanging Birds
group of six is better than going it alone. “There are plenty of hands to the wheel. Whether it’s manning the shop or having to switch off the burglar alarm at 11pm, one of us can do it! We are all supportive of each other, share ideas and information and promote our differing crafts to our customers. We constantly give each other feedback, whether it’s about display, pricing or customers comments.” Jane also feels that their work has evolved as a direct result of working with artists together in a shared space.
Autumn 2013 | ukhandmade |
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