Tuesday 19 April 2011

Anyone remember our original little Aladdin's Cave?


I came across a couple of old photographs the other day and thought I'd show them here.  I've had to scan them so they aren't brilliant but I've shown them to a few customers who I thought may remember our time there.  It's so nice to know that some of our original customers are still making cards and remember this time:)

It is strange for us now though that the children that visited us are now coming back with their own children!  Gosh we're getting old, and just look how young I looked in the photo!!!!!

I believe the photo above would have been taken in about 1991-1992.  This was our first proper permanent base.  We had started selling rubber stamps at craft fairs and shows at weekends around the country before setting up permanent midweek stands at craft centres, firstly in Ilkley, then we expanded a little and Ian opened another in Skipton.

After a few years we took the chance of taking on this teeny weeny kiosk in Craven Court, where we tried and pretty much succeeded to fit everything in, honestly it was amazing how much we managed to fit into that space, if I remember correctly it was about 8 ft x 10 ft!!  It really was an Aladdin's cave.

We had a removable wooden 'window' that we took down each morning and we'd put up our sample cards.  It was great for demonstrating and Ian would have crowds around him and there were often queues to get in to actually shop!

On Saturday evenings at 5pm we would close and have our own little 'supermarket grab', we had an hour to pack everything up and load the car ready to take as much as possible to craft fairs on the Sunday before they closed the shopping centre at 6pm.

We didn't have a van at the time so we had to unpack the car when we got home and then reload it again in the morning, sometimes at 5am if we had to head to Scarborough, Bridlington or Blackpool.  Our weekends at Leeds or Accrington were like having a lay in!  We did the same in reverse on the Sunday evening and Monday would be restock day.  We had one Sunday off a month... I do wonder how we did all that for so long!

Maybe it was because we LOVED it, Ian was demonstrating embossing all day every day and as it wasn't even considered a hobby when we started, he did a grand job convincing people it was a good thing to do.  As I'm sure you are all aware now, it's a brilliant hobby and other people loved it back then and kept coming back.

Nobody had showed us what to do and we had to work it out ourselves, when I look at those cards that are draped around the shop now I can see how primitive they were at the time.

I remember that the photo was taken, just before we closed one night, it was for a magazine article and we had been busy all day so it was a last minute thing.  No taking a photo and emailing it over back then, it was relying on getting it off to be processed, then hoping the best with the photo and the post!

I spotted in the photo that we did have Personal Stamp Exchange stamps then, anyone remember them?  Weren't they just the BEST quality stamps ever, truly the Rolls Royce of stamps.

I got all nostalgic looking through the box of photos so I may bore you with more!  It was especially lovely to see photos of times shared with customers who became friends over the years, there's loads of great memories especially from our demo days, so maybe I should continue with my nostalgic ramblings.

I think the next photo I share will be a rare one of the Stamp Man, Ian himself!!!  He hates his photo being taken, there's not many of them about... should I show it??

Jill

10 comments:

  1. Hi Jill, funnily enough I found a copy of the magazine article that this photo may go with when I was sorting through my magazine, I planned on letting you have it at Port Sunny, I will try and remember to bring it with me.
    I found a similar article on Julia so I thought I would give her a laugh as well.
    See you there.
    Love and hugs
    Kimx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Fab picture, and yes I remember those days. I'm with Ian though, I hate having my photo taken LOL, but yes I think we should see that one before Port Sunlight! Or even better get a t-shirt made and wear it on the day! Would be worth it to see his face. Elizabeth x

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Jill, I remember your shop, it was a lovely arcade and best of all it had The Stampman. I remember PSX Stamps too, I still have one of their cataloges and quite a few of the stamps. In fact I bought a beautiful Rose stamp with a matching corner after seeing a card you had made using them displayed in the window.
    How times have changed, the arcade didn't look the same when I last visited Skipton, almost 2 years ago now, however I did find you and Ian so came away a happy bunny.
    Hugs
    Christine xxx

    ReplyDelete
  4. The only way you can do something over and over and stay with it no matter what is because you love doing it. Your little 'cave' looks like it was an awesome place to work from. Congrats to you on all you have accomplished! And thanks for sharing the 'vintage' photos...that's what my photos are now too! :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh this is fab Jill, thanks for sharing it.
    luv and hugs {brenda} xoxox

    ReplyDelete
  6. I remember that too. You got me into stamping. Just shown it to my daughter who is 22 and she remembers it, how I do not know, but happy memories of it. Craven Chourt isn't the same without you there. When did you move into the bigger shop next door?
    Janet x

    ReplyDelete
  7. The good old days. It shows how timeless this hobby is :) I never saw the little shop, I only moved to Skipton in 1998... but I know the shop next door. It is the place where I bought my very first stamp!

    Looking forward to see a picture of Ian :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a trip down memory lane, Jill. I remember you in Ilkley and as I've told you before Ian demoed the embossing there and got me into stamping. I still have those first stamps and believe it or not the little pots of gold and silver EP. They are still some of the best I've ever used.
    Craven Court isn't the same without you there, although i know you're not far away, but it's not the same going for a cuppa without calling into to the Aladdin's cave that your shop was first.
    Hugs Lisax

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks everyone for your comments, I really enjoyed remembering those early days.

    Jill x

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a trip down memory lane - sorry I have come to this so late in the day! I remember meeting you at - probably Newbury? when you still came "down south" for shows, lol. Yes, I remember - and still have 100's - of PSX stamps, such lovely wood, such lovely designs. Ah, memories.

    ReplyDelete

Your comments are always really appreciated!