The Story

I have joked with lots of people that I might rename Ticketyboo 'The Lockdown Shop'. 

It was during the very first Lockdown in 2020 my lovely Dad called me one day and asked if I would like to take Ticketyboo on as my own.  I bit his hand off!  I didn't hesitate in saying YES!  There were a few tears too. 

Ticketyboo was my parents' gift shop for many years, and prior to that (for even longer), it was the village greengrocers, 'Sutherland Stores', when I was a little girl. 

What a very special thing to be asked and offered!

I spent most of 2020 renovating the shop, refitting it and doing a lot of research and planning.  I inherited my parents' stock and sourced my own too.

The plan was to open on 7 November and I worked hard towards this date, however on the evening of Halloween the November Lockdown was announced. 

I marched on regardless and pulled up the blinds for all to see inside on 18 November.  I started to post more on social media and found myself doing 'click & collects' and even shipping further afield across the UK.  

I was finally allowed to open on 2 December and had the best, very busy, 2 weeks and 3 days of being open, however Kent went into Tier 4 on 19 December and my yellow door remained closed to customers until 12 April 2021. 

Whilst we were all in Lockdown and the shop remained closed, I shipped to social media customers and local click and collects/deliveries.  The support for my new little shop was AMAZING! 

The shop being physically closed enabled me to create the website during January and February and I launched it on 1 March. 

I am now loving running both the shop and the website together, keeping my fingers crossed that there will be no more Lockdowns ever again!