A new small business built from a love of France is very much a family affair.
Chris and Linda Baker, and their daughter Rosalie, have opened their first permanent shop in Cowes High Street, with a helping hand of an interest free loan from the Isle of Wight Lottery.
Just French started life in France around seven years ago when the family moved there, and was imported back to the Island in 2011 when the Bakers began selling artisan-made French products are events around the country, and from their website.
Chris, a builder, said a pop-up shop during Cowes Week last year was such a success, it made the idea of a permanent shop more enticing.
The new shop, which opened two months ago, stocks products made by eight suppliers, including five in France, and now carries the subtitle Just French and Guests, to allow for occasional stock from Island artisans, too.
Chris said: “We have an endlessly changing stock, including baskets, oven to table, pottery, table cloths, food … and we are looking at expanding the range in future. The shop and sales from the website will work side by side and complement each other.
“It is going extremely well, and we are grateful to the Isle of Wight Lottery for their help.”
For more information about the support available to new and developing businesses, go to www.isleofwightlottery.co.uk
