Craft Focus - April/May 2021 (Issue 84)

78 65 years in retail Sue Amphlett owns Cottontail Crafts with her husband Steve who manages the website. Sue discusses how her retail business has survived the Covid pandemic Tell us a bit about Cottontail Crafts, when did you open, where are you based? The shop was started by my parents in May 1956, so we celebrate 65 years being in business this year. Dad was a painter and decorator so it initially started off as a paint and wallpaper shop and gradually changed to handicrafts. I was born five weeks later – not great timing but I can honestly say I have been in the business all my life! We’re based in the picturesque town of Settle in the heart of the Yorkshire dales with a population of less than 3,000. My first recollection of the shop was dusting and re-arranging shelves at the age of just three. I trained in fashion when I left school whilst still working in the shop. I had a mid-life crisis at the age of 40 and wanted something more challenging so went back to college and spent three years part-time training as an adult education tutor. I only intended to take classes in the shop but the local college asked me to take classes for them. After a year, I decided to do a university degree in Education. I must have been mad as I was running the shop and teaching whilst bringing up a family (thankfully I had staff to help out). Over the years has the shop ever experienced anything like the Covid-19 pandemic? How has trading been since last March? Yes, Settle was in the centre of the foot- and-mouth disease outbreak exactly 20 years ago. It devastated the area. We’re a tourist area and it has taken many years promoting the town for visitors to come back and visit. You also run a successful online e-commerce site for Cottontail Crafts. When was this set up and how has it helped during the Pandemic? The website was started in 2010 and has struggled to compete against the big companies who have dedicated teams looking after their websites. Covid however, has made a huge difference and we have seen a vast increase in sales, (I think mainly due to a shortage of yarns). It has been successful for the shop as visitors look online to see if there’s a craft/wool shop near where they’re visiting and make a point of coming to see us. Have you seen a boom in the craft industry recently or a new type of customer? Definitely a shift in the craft industry. There are many more people wanting to try out various crafts. Children in particular are wanting to try out different crafts as they can’t get out to play. I did a series of YouTube lessons for children during the first lockdown and had a fantastic response including a school in the south phoning me to say thank you. Covid has brought a new stress of its own and people are turning to crafts to help with the isolation and loneliness.