Fabulous to see Shepton Mallet has presence on My High.St
Revolution Gym, Somerset Antiques and Interiors, Repxotics, One. Craft Gallery,
Goodfellows,
No21 Interiors and No21 Vintage
FOUNDERS Tim, Loaye (pronounced Louis) and David are all friends who moved from London to the West Country for a quieter life in the country. Like a lot of people who move from a city, they wanted to live somewhere with a real community, with lovely people and weekly Farmers Markets.
What they weren’t expecting to find was local high streets and towns with buzzing new independent shops, selling products from local home-made cider to the newest in fashion and design trend, as well as lovely people and weekly markets!
Loaye, as a Wells shopkeeper wondered whether we could put all these amazing independent shops in one place online. We could build a virtual high street where people could browse and buy from the shops they know and trust. And, of course, this would mean that people further away could browse local shops and find unique products they may not have known about.
As a retailer, Loaye knew how difficult it is for an independent retailer in a small town to build a useful website. He got together with David, a digital entrepreneur (and organ player!) with masses of experience in websites and all things technical, and Tim a marketing PR whizz (and Yurt maker!) in a local coffee shop on their high street (no, not Starbucks) to discuss what could be done.
Out of this came the concept of MyHigh. Loaye’s moment of inspiration grew so that MyHigh could help not just Wells but High Streets and shop owners across Britain. If we love the convenience of shopping online and we love our High Streets and all the great independent shops they have to offer then why not let MyHigh marry the two?
Over the coming months the three talked to the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker (ok, an antique shop) as well as fashion stores, vintners, craft stores, electrical retailers, card shops, two wool shops, one hotel owner, two chain store experts, the Chamber of Commerce, commercial estate agents, digital guys who had done these sort of things before and, of course, partners and friends.
And what they found was a real emotional link to our High Streets. A sense of disappointment with what practical help was being offered to protect this essential resource. Plus a real willingness to support something practical and new.
So in July 2012 MyHigh.St was launched with the kind help of the retail community of Wells and nearby Castle Cary.
I love looking over and seeing your beautiful new shop on the other side of the Market Place now...Your window displays are most tempting! :)
Wouldn't it be fantastic to welcome new traders to the other two prime locations that you mentioned on the Market Place? It could be just what Shepton needs to move it forward this year...
Niki x