In December, we celebrated the successes of our long-standing client, Branded Products & Services, a well-established Oxfordshire business. This time, we turn the spotlight onto Stanley’s Sweets & Treats, another of our clients, but a brand new departure for mother and daughter Ali and Jemma.
We spoke to Stanley’s Sweets and Treats owner Jemma Graham to find out how the opportunity to own Kidlington’s treasured sweet shop arose, and how CRM helped the pair to set up their business as the pandemic loosened its grip.
Firstly, why a sweet shop?
“My great grandparents ran a sweet shop in the 1960s in Oxford’s covered market and an even earlier generation of Stanleys had a butchers shop too. Mum and I grew up in Kidlington and it’s always been a dream of mine to run a shop here.
“Previously, my job was in the management side of the NHS and Mum is a retired teacher. Having got through the worst of the pandemic, we decided that a change was in order, and Kidlington’s ‘Box of Delights’ sweet shop had just been put up for sale. It felt like it was meant to be! We chose to bring back the Stanley name and opened our doors in October 2021.”
How has the business developed?
“Our first year was a steep learning curve of setting up, stocking up and marketing. We kept some of the features of the previous shop – the popular milkshakes and sweets that people remember from their childhood – whilst introducing new brands and taking orders for personalised gifts and treats.
“We had lots of exciting ideas but we learnt not to try everything all at once! The peaks and troughs of a retail business are challenging but sometimes we see a pattern emerging – we love to see the older people coming in for a warm drink in the morning, the children coming in for their sweets after school and the families coming in for a milkshake treat at the weekends! Of course, it’s not always like that but we’re enjoying building a strong relationship with the community.”
How has CRM helped you?
“We found the assistance of Jessica Mason at CRM to be invaluable as we set up the business. CRM helped us with the purchase of the existing business, our VAT registration, PAYE and all the tricky elements of starting out. I always get a quick and reassuring response to my endless queries!”
What does 2023 and beyond hold for Stanley’s?
“Having celebrated our first birthday, we have now recruited a supervisor which means that we can open the shop six days a week. We are going to consolidate our position in the Kidlington retail community, making sure that everyone knows about Stanley’s!
“Our mix of café style treats and our wide range of sweets helps us to stay resilient and have something to interest different customers. We’re also going to relaunch our website and increase our ‘click and collect’ gift and corporate offerings to a wider Oxfordshire audience.”
If you’re local to Kidlington, pop into Stanley’s Sweets and Treats in the Kidlington Centre, or whilst the website is being redeveloped, find Stanley’s on Facebook. Once you’ve visited, it’s hard to resist a treat or two!