Our commercial property team really enjoy helping indie businesses find their ideal premises. So we were delighted to be involved recently with a lighting and homeware shop’s move to Harrogate town centre.
Lighthouse Lighting & Living opened in Cold Bath Road on July 8, after owners Martin and Lisa Johnson relocated the business from Lancashire.
The couple had been running the business in Barnoldswick for 15 years and didn’t have any plans to move it, even though they themselves had been living in Harrogate for the last two years. But that changed one day when Lisa spotted one of our FSS signs for the lease of a commercial unit at 123 Cold Bath Road.
Martin says: “We thought it would be worth a look round and immediately recognised its potential. We also loved the location. Cold Bath Road is a real up-and-coming area of Harrogate with some great independent shops. I suppose you could say it was a lightbulb moment!”
Martin and Lisa knew it would be a big move for the business, which had been established in Barnoldswick for 52 years, albeit under different names as ownership changed. But they also knew they had a good, loyal customer base throughout Yorkshire which valued their high-quality and unusual product ranges, lighting expertise and great customer service.
FSS’s commercial property specialists helped Martin and Lisa negotiate the lease with the landlord.
Martin says: “FSS were very helpful, they were great. The property was in need of some care, and between us and the landlord we’ve worked hard to improve it. It’s a similar sized unit to the one in Barnoldswick but, unlike there, it’s split into two levels. This has worked really well for us because it means we can showcase the distinct types of lighting we offer, with modern and contemporary on the ground floor and traditional upstairs.”
Because the business doesn’t sell products online, a visit to the shop is a must. And Barnoldswick’s loss is certainly Harrogate’s gain. Lighthouse offers a stunning and eclectic range of lighting options sourced from both the UK and abroad, with prices sitting in the medium to top range.
Martin and Lisa combine their product knowledge and design expertise with practical considerations to help customers achieve perfect lighting solutions for their home. They offer a two-hour home consultancy service for £250, refundable against the first order of £1,000 or more.
Lighthouse also sells homewares sourced from British artisan craft makers, including pottery from Devon and Surrey, glass, throws and outdoor lanterns from Yorkshire, and metalwork from a Scottish forge.
It is the only independent shop in Harrogate selling the chef Tom Kerridge’s range of UK-made kitchenware, and English Heritage-authenticated paints from The Little Greene Paint Company. And it’s an agent for the French room fragrance company Lampe Berger, too.
Martin adds: “We’re delighted with the way things have turned out. We love living in Harrogate and having our independent business here. We’ve settled in well and our customers seem to have embraced the shop so we know we’ve made the right choice!”