15/10/2026
Two shops, 21 years apart. What did I learn?
In 2004, six years after starting my jewellery business, I opened my first shop in St Martins Square in Lincoln.
It was called Chica Boutique, and it was a little treasure trove of my own jewellery, quirky accessories sourced from Paris and all sorts of unusual things that caught my eye.
I loved creating the shop, but I learned some lessons along the way. About location, customers, pricing and perhaps most importantly, trying to do everything myself!
I closed the shop in 2007 when I was expecting my daughter Iris. Fast forward to 2025, with my children now almost grown up, and I decided to do it all again.
This time, with nearly 30 years of experience behind me, a much clearer idea of what I wanted to create, and hopefully a little more wisdom.
Although I’ve discovered that some things never change. A shop still requires an extraordinary amount of attention!
Here are a few things I learned along the way.
