Customers of Harriet's of Hove back Crowdfunder for revamp

Harriet Dean-Orange, who runs Harriet’s of Hove, launched a Crowdfunder to give the store a revamp and introduce some “exciting” new product lines.

And her “fiercely loyal” customers responded in droves, managing to raise a whopping £10,000.

The former nurse set up the business in Blatchington Road four years ago after feeling frustrated at the lack of provision for a plastic-free lifestyle.

The store has been open for almost four years

She spotted a gap in the market in Hove and in a matter of 12 weeks had opened the store, which provides vegan food, refills, eco-friendly household products and much more.

“From thought to opening we managed to do it within 12 weeks,” said Ms Dean-Orange.

“It’s something we knew time was of the essence, we knew if we thought about it too much, we might not do it at all.”

After just over a year of business the pandemic hit and the businesswoman’s plans to develop the shop were put on hold.

Her attention quickly shifted to looking after her staff and ensuring the shop remained open for the community.

Harriet's of Hove has an all female team

“Being in the new stages of quite an innovative business and then a pandemic hitting was mortifying, we were on a really good trajectory,” she said.

“My nursing head kicked in and I realised we had to change how we worked, and we ended up double staffing so we could serve customers instead of them serving themselves.

“We didn’t close for a day during the pandemic.

“For us it turned into less about the original message of plastic and more just staying open for the community, especially for those who were finding it hard to access food.

“In our community we’ve had people stay fiercely loyal to us, so we’re really thankful for that.”

The shop sells a range of food

The money raised through the Crowdfunder will be used to give the shop a “lick of paint”, expand its product lines, buy new display units, and create a mural in thanks to everyone who donated.

“In the pandemic we’d been running really on empty to stay open and provide plastic free shopping to people," said Ms Dean-Orange.

“And for all of those extras, the maintenance, the new products, all of the really fun stuff that brings a lot of excitement to a small business, we just didn’t have the funds to do that.

“We’d like to create a mural for everybody who has supported the Crowdfunder, because I think it’s important we recognise that we could not have done that without the community.

“I think the Crowdfunder showed that people want us here and want us to stay, they want us to develop, so we want to do a thank you back to them.”

People can get refills for food, bathing and household cleaning products

Ms Dean-Orange’s five strong team will set about the works in time for the shop’s fourth anniversary in November.

Employing local people to carry out the work, the hope is everything will be completed in three days to limit the time the shop is closed.

Ms Dean-Orange has reminded customers that they do not need to come into the store to access its goods.

Online deliveries ready to be sent off

“We deliver all across Brighton and Hove, we even go out to Shoreham and Rottingdean,” she said.

“We carbon offset our deliveries, so we know we’re doing the best that we can there.

“You don’t have to be in Hove to shop at Harriet’s of Hove.”