Celebrating independents: monthly store visits bringing inspiration & – Talking Tables UK Trade

Celebrating independents: monthly store visits bringing inspiration & insight

Posted by on


Building Relationships Across the Country

Our marketing team make monthly regional visits to four to five of our independent and hero stores across the UK. These visits are more than just check-ins, they’re a chance to strengthen relationships with store managers, owners, and buyers, while also gathering visual merchandising inspiration and real-time feedback from the shop floor.

In April we dropped in on four independent retailers in London. The warm reception from store teams was incredibly uplifting, and observing how different stores style and showcase our collections gave us new ideas and inspiration for our own photography styling.

A true highlight was spotting our new Bon Appétit collection in-store, showcased beautifully at Inspitalfields and Dulwich Trader. From concept to shelf, seeing our designs brought to life, each with a unique store-specific twist, was a rewarding experience. That’s the beauty of independents: their individuality brings our products to life in original ways.

 

Dulwich Trader, London


 

Inspitalfields, London


Our next stop in May was Bath, where we dropped into Bluebells of Bath. Despite dealing with a flooded basement and having had to delay delieries, the store looked stunning. We applaud their resilience and wish them a smooth and successful summer ahead.

 

Bluebells of Bath

 

At Prior Park Garden Centre, we were pleased to see our children’s games and birthday ranges placed strategically by the café exit — a clever spot that encourages impulse buys, especially from parents. Meanwhile, Rossiters of Bath reported strong sales for our Bon Appétit bowls, and we were once again inspired by the ever-creative merchandising at Vinegar Hill.

 

 

From left to right: Prior Park Garden Centre, Rossiters of Bath, Vinegar Hill, Bath.

 

This week, we’re heading to Bristol to reconnect with some of our favourite independents in the area. We can’t wait to see what merchandising magic and local insights await. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue our journey of independent store discovery.

See how other retailers are bringing our products to life in store here.

Interested in becoming one of our trade customers? Find out more here

 

Blog and photography by Grace Ludlam, Marketing and Community Coordinator

Other stories to explore

Celebrating Independents: Bristol Bound

Celebrating Independents: Bristol Bound

  As part of our monthly regional visits, I headed to Bristol in June to connect with a selection of our independent and hero stores. It is such a valuable opportunity to build ...
Read more
Why we’re hooked on the ‘Fisherman Aesthetic’ - one of 2025’s biggest design trends.

Why we’re hooked on the ‘Fisherman Aesthetic’ - one of 2025’s biggest design trends.

Pinterest Predicts listed the 'Fisherman Aesthetic' as one of 2025's big trends - we take a closer look at what it's all about.
Read more
Gift Kindly - finding the right partner to produce our sustainable collection

Gift Kindly - finding the right partner to produce our sustainable collection

Our new sustainable gift wrapping collection set us some new challenges, sending us on a new supplier hunt.
Read more
Back to the top