While looking for historical photos for our About Us page we stumbled across an article that we had been given all about the original Glencroft retail shop we ran in Clapham, North Yorkshire from 1990 to 1999.
We don’t know who wrote it (let us know if it’s you!), but we remember being given it by an impressed customer soon after opening the shop in 1990. We’re putting it up on our blog for posterity, many of the things said hopefully still apply to our wholesale business.
You can view the original typed article here (PDF), or read on; illustrated with relevant photos.
“Sheep Invade Cowshed”
Sheepskin rugs, a sheep clock, a sheep mobile, a rocking sheep, sheep earrings and brooches, woollen jumpers and even a sheepish greetings card – all this and more are to be found at Glencroft – A new shop in the lovely village of Clapham between Ingleton and Settle.
TV viewers of Pieces of Parkin on 27th July <1990> will have had a view of the alterations taking place to a stone barn (until recently a cow byre) which is now beautifully restored by a local builder and which houses the first retail shop opened by Richard and Justina Sexton in the village where they live and where Richard is Chairman of the Parish Council.
This new shop is part of the plan featured in the TV programme by the imaginative and forward thinking Dr John Farrer, the Lord of the Manor.
Richard has had 20 years experience in wholesale and has contacts with Knitwear and Sheepskin producers all over the country. He sells to retail outlets large and small and this is his one and only retail outlet; but it is a Sheepskin Shop with a difference.
As well as providing “British Only” knitwear and sheepskin products at reasonable prices the shop also serves local people as a shop window for their crafts and hobbies. The range of village talents is obviously demonstrated in the pine furniture, oil paintings and watercolours, soft toys, hand sewn dresses and dried flowers. There are presents here for all pockets and all ages. New hobbies have been stimulated. A local farmer now makes miniature dry stone wall models that are very popular with visitors.
The Glencroft shop is open all the year round. The walker in need of a woolly hat or socks, the countryman in need of a sound sheepskin coat, the fashionable town lady looking for a new handbag or a stylish sweater and the grandparents looking for a soft toy for the newest grandchild will all find a bargain and a warm welcome.
Richard and Justina are delighted with the response so far whether people are out for an afternoon drive or on holiday from London, Norfolk or Northumberland, Leeds or Lancaster they have all promised themselves that Clapham and Glencroft will be the place to bring their friends.
