Jamie Stewart remembers the time when Juniper was filled to the brim, with huge queues of customers weaving their way towards the tills every day.
The shelves at their family gift store in Aberdeen stacked up with colourful souvenirs and shiny jewellery as dozens line up to snap up the perfect present for their loved one.
It was the golden age when the Granite City was thriving as the oil and gas capital of Europe – and small businesses like Juniper were booming as well.
The shop was first located on Broomhill Road, before moving to Belmont Street in 1987.
And more than 50 years since Jamie’s mum June welcomed her first customers, Juniper is still standing tall despite numerous hurdles over the years.
It’s a massive achievement by anyone’s standards, Jamie says, and as the new Stewart in charge, it is now his responsibility to carry on the family’s long-lasting legacy.
But while the shelves remain all stocked up with thousands of quality gifts on offer, the number of customers flocking in has began to dwindle…
‘Keeping Juniper going is a 24/7 job’
Jamie is helping a gentlemen pick a jewel from one of their exquisite collections when I walk into the store.
A hand-painted mug with Highland cows instantly catches my eye, as the other one is subtly checking out the silver rings and tartan scarfs at the counter.
Since taking over the store a few years ago, Jamie has been doing his best to stay on track with every new trend and offer customers a versatile range of products.
“It’s a 24/7 job, and I’m in here almost every day,” the dad of two tells me as we move along to his office upstairs.
“We sell more than 6,000 lines so it’s quite a lot to think about and work with.
“And then, we always try to bring in new things to keep people interested so they want to come back to the store again and again.
“There is loads of work and no time for rest.”
Life-long connection with Juniper Aberdeen
Jamie pauses for a few seconds and adds through a giggle: “I’m ready to retire.”
He says this as a joke, of course, and goes on to explain how he has been involved with Juniper since he was a toddler.
The 42-year-old admits that running the store hasn’t always been a life-long dream of his though – but he somehow always found his way back to its world of wonder.
After finishing university, he tried his hand at his uncle’s Gibbs Tools and Supplies shop back when it was on King Street.
But his heart wasn’t in it. And he eventually swapped industrial spanners for dainty trinkets at Juniper.
“I suppose it just came naturally to me,” he reflects.
“It’s in the blood – my grannie first started the Gibb tool shop and then my mum opened Juniper.
“I have been unpacking stock in the store since I was three years old!
“And there is some pressure…It’s been on the go for so long, and we want to maintain the standards and offer the best customer experience we can.”
Juniper boss: ‘Last few years have been very challenging’
A lot has changed in Aberdeen since a knee-high Jamie started helping out in the early 1980s.
The oil boom which flooded the city with wealth back when it opened has long since dried up.
And the retail industry has come under unprecedented pressure in the last few years – reeling from the blows of the Covid pandemic, the continuing rise of online giants and a cost of living crisis leaving punters’ wallets empty.
He says: “The last few years have been hugely challenging – especially the ones during Covid – but we managed to get through that and kept going.
“Business is OK but footfall is definitely down.
“As a child, I remember there used to be these big queues at the till – which we still get come Christmas time but it’s just not the same volume of people.”
The new traffic measures installed around the city centre have also proved challenging, he adds, with more and more of his customers being “put off” by bus gates.
But despite all this, he is determined to make it work.
What is Juniper doing to keep the tills ringing?
Jamie still believes there are good days ahead for Aberdeen, and dreams of the day the city will be once again be bustling with small interesting shops like his.
The Press and Journal this week revealed that more than 60% of the city centre shops are independent – but Jamie thinks more could be done to make the area a real destination for both shoppers and retailers.
And Juniper is of course part of this vision, as he continues to strive for success.
But what is the secret to survive and thrive through all the obstacles?
“That’s the magic question, isn’t it?” he chuckles.
“Starting our loyalty scheme was part of it, I think, to thank our most loyal customers – and this has proved very popular so far with thousands of members on it now.
“We have an online shop as well which is useful and helps with the overall figures, but getting people through the door is still the absolute essential.
“There is only so much you can do really, isn’t there? You can throw money at advertising all day long and it doesn’t necessarily help increase numbers.”
Big Belmont Bash is ‘another way to bring more people in’
One form of help could be just around the corner…
The Big Belmont Bash has been arranged in a bid to boost footfall and “bring back the buzz” to the city centre street in the light of recent challenges.
On Saturday, the roads will be closed and it’s hoped that thousands will flock to the area for a street festival filled with various attractions.
Jamie adds: “It’s another way to try and bring more people in – and this is what we need, more events and excitement in the city centre.
“And hopefully it turns out to be something that people will enjoy and want to come back for.”
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