If you’ve taken a stroll down King Street for a bit of window shopping recently, you’ve probably noticed the new Fig & Willow, perched opposite M&S in the spot where JoJo Maman Bébé used to be. The interior has been completely transformed, now showcasing a carefully curated mix of interiors, homeware, and on-trend fashion accessories.
Kathryn, the owner, previously worked in finance before deciding to follow her dream of running her own business. The store will shortly transform ahead of the festive season, with a wide range of autumnal and Christmas decorations, ornaments and a wide selection of gifts. There’s truly something for everyone. We caught up with her to hear how she’s enjoying the new lifestyle, and to take a glimpse at the exciting plans she has in store.
You recently made the change from working in finance to running your own business. How did you do it?
I’d had involvement running businesses before, alongside my finance career. My husband and I set up Pour Toi – our last gift shop – in 2018, which we reluctantly closed in 2023. We also launched Infiniti Jewellers and Art Gallery in 2020. When we saw a building was vacant on King Street the idea for Fig & Willow became a possibility – since then life has been a blur of trade shows, sourcing great stock, shop fits and helping customers find the perfect gift for friends and family… or a nice treat for themselves.
If you were to sum up Fig & Willow in a few sentences, what would that be?
Fig & Willow combines fashion, lifestyle and home accessories – spurred on by a warm and welcoming team that make it a great place to shop for those seeking quality and variety – for themselves, or as gifts.
Who’s your stereotypical customer?
Our customer base is very broad – from tweens buying hairbands and jewellery to over 90s buying a new handbag or starting Christmas shopping early. Since opening we’ve had around a 50/50 split of residents and tourists from all over the world. It has been heartening to hear how much appreciation there is or Jersey – there’s so much positivity surrounding the breadth of activities for tourists to do, and how friendly islanders are.
What’s your favourite item or collection you currently stock?
It’s too difficult to answer! My favourites change with every story I hear from customers surrounding why they’re purchasing. Working in the store you get to hear snippets about the reason people are buying – from gifts to loved ones, encouragement for friends and family facing challenges, and gifts to mark stages of life such as exam successes, first jobs, new houses, holidays or birthdays.
What’s been the hardest part about starting your new business venture?
Taking the first step. Committing to a 9 year lease and having faith that we can keep sourcing great products. The first couple of weeks were crazy busy, and we sold a lot more than anticipated. Restocking fast was a great early lesson too!
What has the process taught you about running a business?
How to keep all plates spinning, whilst also trying to source new products. Instead of waking up and thinking about finance regulations I’m thinking about product orders and displays. I’ve still got a lot to learn – Instagram is next on the list!
Since making the change, have you looked back?
No! It’s a totally different lifestyle – instead of sitting behind a desk and being in meetings all day I am now on my feet for most of it, talking to customers and suppliers. Everyday is a different happy story!
What do you have coming up that we can get excited about?
From mid October we will be re-organising the store to get ready for Christmas! We’ll have plenty of Christmas decorations and gifts to suit everyone. Our wish list service will be great for helping people pick out surprises for friends and loved ones. There’s something for everyone and every budget, from yearly top-up decorations to stunning centrepieces. We’ve got lots of lovely new gifts coming in, as well as a brand new exclusive range of Christmas fragrances – the scents are beautiful. We’re also really excited to launch the Island Charms jewellery range, which will include some great leather pieces for men too – who are often tricky to find gifts for.
