In celebration of International Women’s Day, taking place on 8th March, we pay homage to five of our favourite female-owned Sheffield independents…
Faith Nicholson – Annie Jude’s
Image: Hayley Gell
Community-minded gift shop Annie Jude’s has been a big part of the recent independent resurgence in Hillsborough. Lovingly run by local resident Faith Nicholson, she offers a whole range of gifts, crafts and handmade items created by local makers, with a strong emphasis on female creatives.
Stocking everything from candles to confectionery, jewellery to prints, and even skincare and clothing – there’s truly something for everyone amongst her treasure trove of independent goodies.
Faith has always had her heart set on being her own boss and during the pandemic set up a cross-stitch business. Following the sad passing of her mum, Judith Anne, for whom the shop is named, she was able to take things to the next level, using her inheritance to set up the shop.
Faith said: “When my mum died it completely changed my perspective. She was a very strong woman. When she was younger, she even opened her own school.
“When she knew she was going to die, she gave me some money and said, ‘now you can start a business.’ It really helped me and gave me something positive to focus on.
She added: “For me, International Women’s Day is chance to celebrate women like my mum. Over 80 percent of the makers I stock are female. Women are just so special and to have the opportunity to showcase them means a lot.”
Sarah Scales and Rosie May – Juno’s
A queer and intersectional feminist bookshop that focuses on books written by women and people of colour, as well and other marginalised groups such as disabled and queer authors, Juno Books can be found on Chapel Walk.
The wonderfully inclusive bookshop was launched by Sheffield residents Sarah Scales and Rosie May, who met five years ago at a sling (baby carrier) meetup group held at Ponds Forge, quickly becoming fast friends.
Both Sarah and Rosie have a passion for reading, as well as a strongly held belief in the importance of intersectional feminism and inclusion. Finding themselves frustrated by the lack of representation in the mainstream publishing industry, they decided to create their own independent space to help raise up marginalised voices, while, of course, helping you find your new favourite book.
Rosie said: “We try to have as inclusive a range of books as possible, because we realise the power of having a space like this. Particularly for people who don’t find themselves represented in mainstream bookshops.
“There’s so much great writing, particularly by women, people of colour and queer people at the moment. We really want people to feel like they’re being reflected back by the stuff that they read.”
Sarah Hatton and Virginia Myers – Tenaya Wines
Image: Ellie Grace
A boutique wine shop and bottle bar, Tenaya Wines focuses on female producers and brings a taste of California to Crookes.
Last year, owners Sarah Hatton and Virginia Myers transformed a former charity shop on Crookes High Street into a stylish bottle shop and drinking space inspired by the West Coast of America.
Virginia explained: “We both love California. We love the vibe and we love the produce. The people are so relaxed, open and friendly, so I think we’re just wanting to bring a bit of that lifestyle over here. Sheffield’s a naturally friendly place, so it’s a good fit!”
Between them, the pair have over 20 years’ experience in the wine industry, giving them a vast amount of knowledge, not to mention qualifications (both having qualifications from WSET, the Wine and Spirits Education Trust), when it comes to the best way to enjoy a glass of vino.
Their friendship was formed whilst working together at popular Sheffield wine shop Starmore Boss, where Sarah, who is also a designer creating knitting patterns (ask your nan), worked for eight years.
Prior to meeting Sarah, Virginia had a stint managing an independent wine shop in Winchester, before moving to California and becoming a winemaker for an independent urban winery in San Francisco.
Ellie Grace – Ellie Grace Photography
Image: Danni Maubaum
Sick of her old mundane job in retail, Ellie decided to channel energy into something she knew she was good at and established Ellie Grace Photography in 2013. In those 10 years since getting started from scratch, she has gone from shooting one wedding a year to booking over 50. Having grown into one of Sheffield’s most sought-after wedding photographers, Ellie reached the point where she had to start turning some potential clients down, and now she is exploring a new angle for her business.
Ellie expressed how she wants to explore other avenues and move away from focusing primarily on weddings to instead centering her business around food and lifestyle photography.
The pandemic certainly posed its challenges, like it did for many other independent businesses, but what it gifted Ellie with was time to reflect on her work, triggering her to realise that she didn’t want to stop at just photographing weddings.
Ellie said: “No one had heard of me in Sheffield 10 years ago, and now they have.
“Every day, the business is evolving and I am now evolving into a completely different kind of photographer.”
She still wishes to do wedding photography, but now plans to dedicate more time transitioning to focus her work on food and lifestyle.
Niamh Kavanagh – Gypsy Rose Salon
Image: Lou White
Quirky hair salon Gypsy Rose Salon has been an institution on Queen’s Road since opening its doors back in 2015, showing a special love towards caring for textured hair, something commonly an afterthought to other stylists.
Niamh Kavanagh, the woman behind the much-loved salon, became a hairdresser set up shop 8 years ago. Today, she not only ensures her clients have the best haircuts around, but is also committed to educating other hairdressers about how to cut curly hair. She found people with naturally curly hair were not currently being catered for, but this gaping hole in the market allowed her business to find its niche.
From working for herself with only a Saturday girl to offer a helping hand to now having what she describes as a “self-employed family” of six stylists with an administrator, Niamh never anticipated the heights her business would today reach.
“It taught me a lot about myself. I found out I like nurturing people, and the job involves a bit of that.”
Niamh wishes to expand on the educational aspect of her business and is excited for the natural progression of the salon, encouraging anyone who wants to take the plunge to make that step!
She added: “Never underestimate the time it takes to grow something successful. Find your people, and trust your heart and your instincts.”
