SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY
ALL MANOR OF GIFTS
Ahead of Small Business Saturday, consider swapping the high street for a local, independent business. We shine a light on the home of thoughtfully curated and unusual gifts in Cambridgeshire, Freda & Bert F or Dawn Hookway, shopkeeping “I’ve always been obsessed with going to the trade shows and seeing all the gifts, knowing that opening a gift shop was what I wanted to do some day.” Aside from being an exercise in creativity, for Freda & Bert’s founder, Celebrate Small
runs in the family. As a child, she fondly recalls summer holidays spent playing shop when staying with her grandparents in Devon, both of whom were local shopkeepers. When those same grandparents passed away some 16 years ago, they left Dawn with the means to invest in her dreams. So, perhaps unsurprisingly, she decided to start a shop of her own. “Without them, I would never have embarked on this journey, so Freda & Bert is named in memory of them,” she shares. An idea that fully came to life in 2018, Freda & Bert is home to some delightful and unusual gifts, set against the scenic backdrop of Burwash Manor, where Dawn also runs The Manor Florist. Thanks to its ongoing success ever since, allied with the strengths of the small team behind Freda & Bert, July 2023 saw the opening of a second outlet nearby at Ben’s Yard in Ely, which has been met with a fantastic reception. “It’s been so busy since we opened – we’ve met so many lovely new customers. Several have even come from Cambridge to see us there,” exclaims Dawn. Priding itself on a tasteful selection of various gifts, the curation behind the shop’s merchandise comes from Dawn’s unending passion for trade shows and an unwavering interest in the buying side of business, which inspired her to take a gamble on opening a tiny independent store in the first place.
stocking the shop with an eclectic array of gifts is also an avenue for supporting other businesses – whether indie wholesalers, small enterprises or local makers. “We really try to stock a lot of local suppliers – one of our staff has just started illustration, so we sell her greeting cards. Another makes woodcut laser gift tags, so we stock those too!” Elsewhere, you’ll find soaps from the Cambridge Soap Company, handmade wax melts and candles from boutique wellness brand Lit by Drew, alongside an assortment of other gifts from reputable big brands or up-and-coming indies. The stores represent a veritable treasure trove of eclectic gifts, tastefully presented. For further evidence of the Freda & Bert aesthetic, check out the significant selection of artfully arranged flatlays on its Instagram page! As Christmas makes its merry way over to store shelves everywhere, Dawn is preparing with a cornucopia of gifts which are sure to offer something for everyone – from home Christmas decorations to themed colouring books for little ones – plus a covetable selection of diaries ready to turn a fresh page for the new year. So, if you’re looking to get your gifting done early, think about starting small.
Small Business Saturday is a national campaign designed to encourage shoppers to support local trade. An initiative that started in the US, taking place on the last Saturday of every November, the grassroots campaign hit British shores back in 2013. This year, Small Business Saturday will fall on Saturday 2 December. DID YOU KNOW?
GIFTS GALORE! (Top to bottom) The new store at Ben’s Yard in Ely; The Manor Florist at Burwash Manor; an array of unique items; and a special Christmas flatlay
CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2023 59
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