70 ANALOGUE ADVENTURES Nicki Higgins, Co-Founder of All Things Analogue, talks to Craft Focus about winning the award for Best Independent Stationery Retailer in the South at this year’s Stationery Awards Tell us a bit about All Things Analogue. All Things Analogue is a stationery and analogue lifestyle shop in Eastbourne run by Abel and Nicki, self-confessed stationery addicts! We’re an independent retailer with a physical shop and online store, bringing together beautifully made, high quality stationery from around the world, with the aim of inspiring people to write, draw, be creative and embrace a more analogue way of living. Who opened the shop and why? Abel had always worked in retail and wanted to have his own shop; the dream of being your own boss. We got together in 2010 and running our own business was something we often talked about. Then in 2020 we both found ourselves no longer with full time, permanent jobs and thought, well, we might as well give it a go! It still felt like a huge gamble, particularly as our kids were still quite small, but we felt that we’d much rather it was something we tried (and could look back on and potentially laugh about!) than regret never giving a go. Six years in, it still feels like we’re winging it but there are so many things we love about having our own shop, I’m not sure we could go back. When did your e-commerce shop open and what was the reason for opening online? We had our website pretty much from the beginning, back when we opened in October 2020. As we opened in lockdown it felt like something we definitely needed, but it took a long time to grow. Now, having an online presence helps us reach a wider audience and to share the products we love with those that aren’t able to travel down to see us in Eastbourne. Our business is a balance of the two. What’s special about your location? The physical shop is situated in a lovely area of Eastbourne known as little Chelsea, home to lovely cafes, great restaurants, independent shops and just two to three minutes from Eastbourne train station. As a seaside town, we’re lucky to have the combination of the sea and the South Downs on our doorstep. Great for our analogue adventures! You recently won a special award! Thank you! We were delighted to win the award for Best Independent Stationery Retailer in the South at this year’s Stationery Awards. As a small team of two it’s hard work juggling the shop and family life, so it’s really lovely to be nominated and celebrate all the hard work that goes into running your own business. Tell us a bit about what you stock? Our shop is full of beautifully made, colourful stationery - much of which is made in Japan as Japanese stationery is just awesome. We carry things like notebooks, planners, journals, pens, desk accessories and crafting supplies, like stickers, washi tape and paint pens, along with a small selection of books, homeware and outdoor wear that promote a more analogue way of life. We basically fill the shop with all the things we like and hope other people like it too! Are you looking for any new products or styles? We’re never really on the lookout for anything specific to be honest. It’s more that if we come across something that’s beautifully made and design led, and if it fits the style and ethos of the shop, then that’s something we’d be interested in bringing to All Things Analogue.
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