New Craft Business For Wick - Made In Caithness

1st May 2007

An exciting new business venture is set to open up opportunities for craft people in High Street, Wick. "Made In Caithness" is a new shop given entirely over to high quality craft items. Based in the former music shop the new business will offer the chance for people in the Caithness craft industries to sell their products right in the main street.

Julie Bolton who has set up the new venture is offering people who make high quality products the chance to sell them by renting shelves in the shop that has been newly refitted.

There has been significant interest from the crafters and the shop is filling up with merchandise in advance of the opening on 3 May 2007. The product range is wide ranging from Caithness chairs, jewellery, prints, ladies hats, candles and much more.

The new shop fills a gap and offers a permanent presence on the High Street in Wick. Anyone looking for uinsual gifts will find a good choice here. Visitors to the town will be pleased that they can find someting made in Caithness to take home for themselves or as gifts to friends and relatives.

"Made In Caithness" is something of a departure form the normal business model. The new shop is intended to be a self-funding shop, where Crafters & Artists, residing in Caithness, can exhibit, for sale, their High Quality Handmade work.

There are No Membership Fees and No Commission on Sales. The full amount paid for product goes direct to producer. the shop is funded purely from by Display Space Rental. Unlike many overseas co-operatives, this is a FIXED PRICE shop, there will be NO BARTERING over price, staff can only sell a product for the price the exhibitor placed on the label.

Many of the exhibitors are either "Hobbyists", selling their products simply to self-fund their hobby, or operate as a small "Cottage Industry".

All staff serving in the shop are non-paid volunteer workers - Crafters with some regular spare time and would like to support "Made in Caithness", would welcome the opportunity to increase the number of days/hours we are currently open. this can only happen if some people volunteers a few hours each week. The shop may be opened by prior arrangement outwith these times.

Initially the shop opening hours will be -
Thursdays 10.30 - 17.30
Fridays 10.30 - 17.30
Saturdays 09.00 - 17.30

Julie Bolton is secretary of the Caithness Craft Association. Her speciality is creating jewellery. Since 2005 she has displayed work, promoting Caithness, at the refurbished Wick Airport. She has continued her husband's earlier bead buying adventures since they travelled to Egypt in 2006, and Morocco in 2007, looking to source local co-operative produced native beads, with which to create beautiful jewellery designs here at home in Caithness.

The shop already has 25 exhibitors and the number is risng by the day. Anyone resident in Caithness producing high quality craftwork or art should come in and see us with a view to adding their creations to our collections.

Made in Caithness - showcasing and promoting the talented residents of Caithness!

Why not pop in to the shop from Thursday as customer or if you make something in Caithness as a potential exhibitor and speak to Julie.

Business changed hands in 2010
The shop is located at 118 High Street, Wick