Jessica Loves Shop Makeover

So you might have noticed that I recently rebranded my business to Jessica Loves and am no longer trading as jester design.  It was a bitter sweet decision as jesterdesign has served me very well over the last three and a half years, however, the name was initially created back in my College days for a potential Graphic Design Business that wasn’t to be, so it just never felt right for my craft business.  When I set up my Craft and Interior Blog last November, I rebranded my logo to a softer looking one but still kept the jesterdesign name.  It was only when it came down to finalising the design of my Shop Signage that the name Jessica Loves popped into my head on my way out in the car!

After deciding in March to add a new range of Gifts, Homewares and Stationery to my Online Shop, I had the idea of doing a Pop Up Shop style launch just for a week or two to showcase the new products.  This then quickly snowballed into me thinking about opening up for the Summer months and then all of a sudden I was signing a 12 month lease!  But this is purely down to my Landlord Vincent Neville being so accommodating with our rent agreement, I would not be able to do this otherwise so I’m extremely grateful to him!  Like with my Blog, once I get an idea in my head I want it up and running ASAP so within 2 weeks I transformed 105 North Main Street, Youghal with the help of some local tradesmen into a Rustic, Shabby Chic, Floral, Duck Egg, Pink Paradise – if I do say so myself!!

The first job on my list was to clean and paint the Shop Front!  Kilnatoora Cleaning washed down the whole shop front, the windows and cleaned up the interior.  For the exterior, I chose Sweet Bluebird from the Dulux Range of Paints which I bought from Teresa at Denis Broderick & Sons.  James Barron, Local Painter & Decorator took on the task of covering up that green and he did an amazing job!  He also freshened up the interior walls and doors for me.

The next item on my list were Blinds.  My amazingly talented Sewing Teacher Amanda Hogan created some beautiful venetian blinds with pink trim which are still bright enough to let the light in when closed.  I wanted privacy while works were in progress but I also wanted to have a nice looking shop front during this time so instead of white washed windows or newspaper covered windows, my husband installed the blinds and I added some colourful Balloons and a Coming Soon Chalkboard Sign!

Next item on the list was the floor in the bathroom and at the back of the shop which I am using for my Studio.  It was just concrete so Lucey Floorings came in and put down some lovely Vinyl which really warmed the place up! The Luceys were just so accommodating in having my new flooring down put within my very tight timeframe.

So now that the shop had been cleaned, painted with floors fitted and shop signage being created I realised the rest was all down to ME!  I had to get the shop fitted out and stocked up in just a few days.

I was lucky enough to find an old counter had been left behind in the shop so I Reloved it using Rust-Oleum Chalky Finish Furniture Paint in Duck Egg.  I found a lovely Kitchen Dresser on Done Deal and Reloved that piece also using the Rust-Oleum Universal All Surface Paint in Rose.

Once I had my two old furniture pieces Reloved and Stocked up, next on my list was assembly – I actually really enjoy assembling Ikea furniture!!  My Dad operates a Dublin to Cork Ikea Delivery Run through his business Cork Delivery Service so it was very handy to have him pick up what I needed and deliver it right to my shop (you can now place your Cork Delivery Service Ikea orders though my Shop!!).  For the Shop and Studio, I bought two Billy Bookcases, an Ingatorp Extendable Table (which luckily for me was reduced to €200 that week!), a Kallax Shelving Unit and 4 Drona Floral Patterned Boxes, a Hensvik Cabinet, 2 Stefan Chairs with 2 Elsebet Reversible Chair Pads and a Micke Desk.

My lovely shop signage was created and installed by Watkins Signs & Designs.  This was definitely a ‘Pinch-Me’ Moment especially seeing my own name written across a Shop Front!!  I was so excited seeing it all come together!

Easter Saturday the 15th April was the day I opened the doors of Jessica Loves… to the Public!  My Bestie Pamela came up trumps  as usual and baked the most gorgeous spread of savoury and sweet treats – even matching the icing on the cakes to my shop colours!  She had been working all day long, went home to her 4 kids and stayed up until the early hours getting all this food ready for my Opening – Pam you’re one in a million and I really can’t thank you enough!

This whole experience was one of the most terrifying yet satisfying things I’ve ever done.  The support I received from all the local people and businesses of Youghal just blew me away.  I could not believe all the cards, flowers, gifts and huge amount of transactions that came in on the very first day, it was well beyond my expectations and I’m so extremely grateful to everyone who came along and to those who sent message of support and balloons, you have no idea what it means to me!

I have lots more to come for Jessica Loves… from new hand painted designs to beautifully selected gifts and homewares to new fantastic Brands to furniture paint!  So please stick with me as I learn and grow and hopefully together we can keep Jessica Loves.. open in Youghal for many years to come!

Thanks for stopping by x

Jessica