Welcome to the Land Tales Journal, which will be a space to share behind the scenes stories from the shop and take a deeper look at some of the places and people behind the product range.
When it launches with a pop up shop later this autumn, Land Tales will be a place to find modern goods and gifts made in the UK.
By modern goods and gifts, I mean a thoughtfully curated range of ceramics, tableware, skincare, wellness, stationery, food, and more - essentially, the things I’d like to see in a gift and lifestyle store.
And by made in the UK I mean just that – everything in the shop is designed and produced here, by makers and independent brands working in studios, workshops and small mills all around the country. It’s all sustainable, beautifully crafted, and made to last.
I’ll share more details about the launch very, very soon, but in the meantime I thought I’d use this first Journal entry to talk a little bit about the journey Land Tales has taken to get to this point.
The idea
The idea for Land Tales started with a conviction that well-made things have the potential to enrich our daily lives, whether it's the feeling of holding a handmade ceramic mug, the subtle scent of a hand-dipped beeswax candle, or a bottle of organic hand cream that looks like a piece of art on your bathroom shelf. These simple little things have the power to bring daily joy, as does the process of giving them to others.
This belief was coupled with an increasing awareness of the carbon impact of everything we choose to buy, and a curiosity as to whether it might be possible to carve out a bit more space for things that have been made locally in a way that treads lightly on the planet.
Last summer, while pregnant, I decided to take a leap, leave paid employment, and start my own little retail project to turn these thoughts into something tangible. I wasn’t sure quite what it would be, but I knew that it had to be beautiful, sustainable and a celebration of things made in the British Isles.
I spent the next three months researching and planning, settling on the model of an online shop that would be complemented by a regular series of pop up shops to bring the concept to life.
The name
This took time. I filled many pages with all manner of possibilities as I searched for something that wasn't too obvious, too twee, or too already-taken. I toyed for quite a long time with the name Oats (I still like that for a shop!) but eventually, I came up with Land Tales.
I’m drawn to Land Tales as it captures a feeling of place, of geography, of storytelling. The more time I spend with the name and the further I get into planning the business, the more excited I am by the possibilities it might open up, for talking about the people and places behind the products, for delving into histories and traditions, and exploring new stories about craft and making.
The planning
After the baby arrived, I started working through my to-do list in any available sliver of time – mostly naptimes, and also in the quiet hour between 6 and 7am when the house is peaceful and still.
I set a date in spring 2024 to open the online store, but I didn’t want to wait that long to bring Land Tales to life, so I booked Host of Leyton, a light and airy Victorian corner shop space, for a week in November 2023, and set to work planning the first Land Tales pop up. I wanted to create an inviting place to find sustainable Christmas gifts made in the UK, and a selection of things for winter feasting, hosting and giving.
Hitting send on the first approach to a potential supplier was a heart-thumping moment – the imposter syndrome suddenly felt very real - but nerves soon dissipated when I began receiving enthusiastic, supportive responses. Suddenly I wasn’t just playing shop in my head. I had a pop up booked in the diary, and a growing list of suppliers who were pleased to be involved.
The unwrapping
The fun really started when, towards the end of summer, boxes started arriving at my door. First the ceramics, wooden tableware and handmade utility brushes. Then the hand-dipped beeswax candles and screen printed stationery.
Now that the weather is cooler and the pop up’s getting closer, I’m placing orders for organic skincare and wellness products, cold-pressed soaps, dried locally grown flowers, and – last but not least – food and drink. All made in the UK by friendly independent brands and makers who prioritise sustainability at every step.
I’ve also been collecting preloved and vintage things to furnish and decorate the shop, including stoneware bottles, enamel dishes, and wicker baskets, in keeping with my hope that sustainability will run through every layer of the business.
The launch
In recent weeks, as summer turned to autumn, I’ve slowly started sharing a few glimpses behind the scenes on Instagram, and I’ll be sharing details of the first pop up shop later this week.
There’s so much more I could share here, but that’s probably more than enough for one day. If you’d like to be first to hear news about the launch, I’d love for you to sign up to the email list, via the homepage.
Hannah x