I spoke to the owner last week. The business was doing just fine but the landlord doubled the rent. She couldn't justify prices comparable to Crouch End when she'd be better off moving to CE.
If the business is to continue online as she said the site needs updating...
http://www.cherishedkidswear.co.uk/
The good stuff's in Crouch End because, amazingly, rents are a bit lower on small premises there! It's because we're zone two and on top of a tube station. If people spent money in the good shops when they were open, they'd stay open.
It's the twitter account set up by Caledonian Rd people who think that a particular Cally landlord has been purposely leaving shops empty and then renting out the basements/ storage spaces.
That's the one that was on Secrets Of Our Streets, right? The one that's built an illegal extra floor above all his properties, and then went on national television to talk about it. Surely there can't be another in the same road?
That's a real shame about Cherished. Not necessarily my cup of tea, but clearly a shop that catered to what many people are looking for and it seems not ended by anything other than a massive rent hike on a road that has empty premises.<br><br>I'm also sad that the relocated former Rodavis hardware store owner has also gone from that stretch - speedy he may not have been but he was extremely helpful and always willing to explain how to do something, break a pack of something for you, or do you a deal.<br>
I'm sad but not surprised. I have a young baby and would usually pop by whenever I walked past the shop - and I never once spent more than a couple of quid. I really wanted to support the business and was constantly tempted by stuff but the prices were too high for secondhand stuff and most mums on maternity leave aren't exactly loaded. Maybe they are in Crouch End. I also wasn't sure what age the stuff in the shop was aimed at - seemed to be stuff for adults, babies and children, a mish mash of secondhand items plus homemade crafts. I don't think it worked although I liked the idea of a children's shop a lot. I just don't think she can sell secondhand stuff at those prices, no matter how good the condition and i imagine there wasn't much margin in it for her. There are just too many bargains out there in the Haringey Families monthly markets, you can get stuff at literally half the price she was selling it at. I think she would have been better off saying - this is a shop for personalising stuff for babies/kids with homemade quality craft items and gift ideas.<div><br></div><div><br></div>
I love eBay but it has destroyed the market for decent second hand clothes. You can still get good money for genuine vintage (pre 60's) and classic designer stuff but anything else, unless it's top end, goes for peanuts.
I recently sold some stuff on ebay and was shocked at the amount of commission they charge (guess I shouldn't have been really). Is there an alternative? It amazes me people make any decent money selling on there.
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