An Eden Valley businesswoman who has built up two successful retail outlets in Appleby is planning to retire to spend more time with her growing family.
Jackie Kirkpatrick moved to the market town 40 years ago. Originally from Sunderland, Jackie and her family made Appleby their home.
Owner of Jak & Co, Jackie has built up a popular interior and gift emporium, including bespoke soft furnishings services. Now a destination shop, she has customers from across Cumbria, the North East and Yorkshire.
Jackie said: “Since my first job delivering newspapers at the age of 12 I have always worked. I enjoy running my business, and the local support we get plus the tourist trade makes Appleby a great place to be.”
Despite the economic downturn, Appleby is bucking the national trend and all retail properties are full, making, Jackie said, a rare opportunity for people looking to run a business in the town.
Jackie’s first venture in the town was Appleby Bakery which she took over on 5th November, 1983. Here she transformed a bread and cake shop into a bakery business. After 30 years, during which the Appleby Bakery was featured in ITV’s Britain’s Best Bakery 2014, Jackie sold the business to local firm Brysons.
Looking for a new business challenge, she then took over a former cards, sweets and toy shop on Bridge Street in the town on 5th November, 2015.
Jackie said: “When you have a business in a rural town like Appleby, you need to have something unique, and be creative. With Appleby Bakery we baked our own goods and had a focus on local food. With Jak & Co it is not just an interior and gift shop.
“I have built up the soft furnishings part of the business, with a great selection of material sample books and offer made-to-measure curtain and Roman blind services and upholstery. You can select the material and pattern you want and we will cover your chairs, make the cushions and window dressings to your specifications. To complement this we have a selection of wallpapers.
“Providing the personal touch is important to me, and I studied for my Interior Design Diploma so I could help people create the home they wanted.”
Jak & Co is a big part of the local community, as Jackie hosts charity nights to launch her new season collections in the shop to raise funds for local organisations. And her private shopping nights with supper have proved popular with many customers at Christmas time.
Jackie explained: “After the lockdown, we decided to offer private shopping evenings in the run up to Christmas. The first year we had 10 groups, last year we had 21.”
For the past eight years, Jackie has built up the businesses, and now with her second grandchild due to arrive, she is looking to spend more time with her family and is planning to sell.
She said: “I have Harry my grandson and another grandchild due. It seemed like the time to think about selling the businesses as a going concern.
“There is plenty of opportunity to develop the business further — with a children’s section or furniture. There’s also the opportunity to develop the ladies’ clothing range. It would be a great opportunity for someone with sewing skills to develop the soft furnishing services. It would be a perfect business for a mother and daughter.
“I am enjoying running the business, and choosing the stock for the next season. I am working with my clients, designing their homes and holiday lets and it’s 100 per cent business as usual.
“Jak & Co is on the market as a going concern, and it has been a difficult decision to say it’s time to retire. However, until then, I will continue to enjoy doing what I have loved for over 40 years — running a business in Appleby.”
