97 RETAILER INTERVIEW In addition to the thousands of button designs sourced from all over the world, we stock the full range of Anchor embroidery cottons and Gutermann threads and haberdashery essentials, like Hemline and Fiskar. But we also sell more niche brands like Ricorumi crochet yarns and patterns, West Yorkshire Spinners wools, Corinne Lapierre’s gorgeous embroidery and felt kits, Toft crochet, Crafty Kit Company and Craftwerk needle felting kits. What kits or new trend are you currently excited about? It seems to us that many of the ‘new trends’ in crafting are revivals of old traditions. Rag rugging, macramé, amigurumi crochet and arm-knitting, for instance. It’s exciting to see how our tutors and kit makers reinterpret these old skills in new ways with such passion and talent. It’s also exciting to see new generations engaging with these traditions. As a result, I would say that our demographic is broadening, embracing younger people along with those who have traditionally been our customer base. Do you visit any trade shows? When it’s not disrupted by Covid we go to CHSI Stitches to have face-to-face time with our suppliers. But it is through the smaller consumer facing shows and craft fairs, like Yarndale in Skipton, Etsy Made Local in York and the Manor House Makers’ Fairs in Ilkley, that we discover the wonderful small makers that help to differentiate us from the large multiples. Are you active on social media? How is this useful for the business? We’re very active on Facebook and Instagram, because they’re very visual media, rather than Twitter. These platforms allow us to engage with different groups of customers – Instagram for a younger demographic and Facebook for an older crowd. Do you have any plans for the future of the stores? Covid was the impetus for enormous change in a relatively short space of time, given our 100+ year history. During lockdown, we created a new website and online shop and even took our ‘personal shopper’ button sourcing service online. We refurbished Ilkley and turned it into an exciting workshop destination, started new collaborations with textile designermakers, changed the layout of our shops in York and Harrogate to make our products more accessible and the spaces safer for our customers. We also created new own brand kits and had time to find new talent – designers and tutors – to complement our offer across all three locations. Our plan is to hone and build on this so we become as well known a crafting destination as we’re famed for our buttons. Do you have any tips for people looking to start their own retail venture? Dare to be different because when you’re small it’s virtually impossible to compete with the large multiples on price or the range of products you sell. What’s the one product you couldn’t live without? That’s a difficult one. Rather than a product, I think it is my staff; they’re all crafters and use the products that they are selling for pleasure, so they’re enthusiastic and knowledgeable. I think it’s this personal service that differentiates us from online retail and creates the experiences that are the future of the high street. Shop Addresses: Duttons for Buttons 32 Coppergate, York YO1 9NR Duttons for Buttons Oxford Street, Harrogate HG1 1QE Mrs Duttons Wondrous Workshops 3 Church Street, Ilkley LS29 9DR
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