Jemporium Vintage, Cambridge's finest retro retailer, have recently relocated to a more suitable space just around the corner from their original spot in the Grafton Centre. Since sizing-up, we caught up with Jempo's owner, Jenny, to get the low down on how to manage being an independent shop in Cambridge, as well as some tips and tricks from a vintage-pro.
Jemporium Vintage owner, Jenny (left), and shop assistant, Woody (right).
What made you want to relocate? What was the initial step towards that?
Well, it wasn’t really that I wanted to in particular. The Grafton Centre is going to redevelop the little cluster of shops where all of the independent ones are. They sort-of said to us “you’ve got to find somewhere else to go.” That was about 5 months ago. The next day I came out down Burleigh Street, and I saw a big shop to let, and I thought it might be meant to be. So, a long process and 5 months later, I finally got it and moved in. It was kind of push rather than wanting to, but it’s bigger here, so we’ve got more stock in.
People have been saying it’s more comfortable because there’s more space to look at stock as well, and the other one was getting a bit cramped. We’d been there 6 years, and it was growing and growing, and sort-of getting a bit too heaving in there. It’s nice to have more space, it’s worked out well.
Are things going well now that you have moved?
It’s been two weeks now and it’s been really good. Considering its January, which is typically the worst – well, January, February, and March, typically the worst months of the year for retail - the last couple of weeks have been brilliant.
It’s been really good, we’ve had really nice feedback from customers saying that they like the shop. We’ve kept all prices the same and stuff like that. Still got the £5 box although it’s even bigger – it’s like a massive trunk now instead of a box. It’s basically the same as the old shop, just bigger with more stuff.
Have you found that you’ve stocked anything different now that you’ve got a much bigger space?
Not really, we’ve just got more of everything. For example, the jeans – now we can have a whole rail of them out rather than half a rail. It’s the same with the shirts, instead of half a rail of shirts and half a rail of jumpers. They’ve got a whole rail to themselves.
In terms of vintage in Cambridge, you’re really the only supplier around. Do you feel responsible for bringing vintage to Cambridge?
I feel that I guess I am responsible pretty much. Basically, I sell stuff that I love. I’ve always loved vintage stuff, so it’s really nice for me that other people like the stuff that I’m selling. You know, when people buy stuff, I’ll be like “ahh, I love this” or “that’s so cool”, and sometimes I feel like they think I’m just saying that, but the reason I’m saying that is because I hand-pick everything; so I’m choosing everything. I genuinely love it all. I feel lucky that other people like it as well.
There's so many people in Cambridge that get it and like it, and like wearing something a bit different - not so mainstream, making their own style and creating their look. Mixing and matching high street and vintage. I really like it. Seeing customers coming back in and wearing things is really cool; it’s a really nice feeling.
What made you want to relocate? What was the initial step towards that?
Well, it wasn’t really that I wanted to in particular. The Grafton Centre is going to redevelop the little cluster of shops where all of the independent ones are. They sort-of said to us “you’ve got to find somewhere else to go.” That was about 5 months ago. The next day I came out down Burleigh Street, and I saw a big shop to let, and I thought it might be meant to be. So, a long process and 5 months later, I finally got it and moved in. It was kind of push rather than wanting to, but it’s bigger here, so we’ve got more stock in.
People have been saying it’s more comfortable because there’s more space to look at stock as well, and the other one was getting a bit cramped. We’d been there 6 years, and it was growing and growing, and sort-of getting a bit too heaving in there. It’s nice to have more space, it’s worked out well.
Are things going well now that you have moved?
It’s been two weeks now and it’s been really good. Considering its January, which is typically the worst – well, January, February, and March, typically the worst months of the year for retail - the last couple of weeks have been brilliant.
It’s been really good, we’ve had really nice feedback from customers saying that they like the shop. We’ve kept all prices the same and stuff like that. Still got the £5 box although it’s even bigger – it’s like a massive trunk now instead of a box. It’s basically the same as the old shop, just bigger with more stuff.
Have you found that you’ve stocked anything different now that you’ve got a much bigger space?
Not really, we’ve just got more of everything. For example, the jeans – now we can have a whole rail of them out rather than half a rail. It’s the same with the shirts, instead of half a rail of shirts and half a rail of jumpers. They’ve got a whole rail to themselves.
In terms of vintage in Cambridge, you’re really the only supplier around. Do you feel responsible for bringing vintage to Cambridge?
I feel that I guess I am responsible pretty much. Basically, I sell stuff that I love. I’ve always loved vintage stuff, so it’s really nice for me that other people like the stuff that I’m selling. You know, when people buy stuff, I’ll be like “ahh, I love this” or “that’s so cool”, and sometimes I feel like they think I’m just saying that, but the reason I’m saying that is because I hand-pick everything; so I’m choosing everything. I genuinely love it all. I feel lucky that other people like it as well.
There's so many people in Cambridge that get it and like it, and like wearing something a bit different - not so mainstream, making their own style and creating their look. Mixing and matching high street and vintage. I really like it. Seeing customers coming back in and wearing things is really cool; it’s a really nice feeling.
Whereabouts do you get your stock from? How do you source so many vintage pieces?
Well, because I’ve been doing it for ten years now, I’ve got some really good suppliers. I’ve basically sourced different things from different suppliers. I’ve worked out who can get the best Adidas shell jackets, who can get the best flannel shirts, you know. I’ll use different people for different things. Because I’ve established good links with them and I buy regularly and in large amounts from them, they look after me. So, they’ll be like “what do you need in? We’ll source it.”
Also, trying to get good prices as well. Some suppliers mark up their items a lot. I don’t want to have to suddenly push my prices up. Instead of just accepting it, I’ll find another source for those things to get them at a good price, so that I can keep my prices fairly low. So in the ten years that I’ve been doing it, prices haven’t really gone up very much at all. I think leather belts have always been £10. Sunglasses use to be £6 and now they’re £7, but I think that’s not bad - a pound in ten years. It’s hard work; just building relationships with suppliers is how I manage it all and get it all at good prices. It’s all part of it and I enjoy it.
It’s still early days, as you’ve only been here 2 weeks, but have you found that the shop has attracted a more diverse range of audiences, considering you’re right opposite Primark now?
What I’ve found that all of our regular customers have gone to the old shop and seen the posters and come down. We have had some new customers as well, and they’ve said "oh, were you that little shop in the corner up there? We never went in there because we weren’t quite sure.”
Having the big frontage, the big window and the signs – we didn’t really have signs in the old shop, because we didn’t have anywhere to put them. So i think that people now can see more what it is. I mean there’s a lot of customers who love vintage and get it, and who obviously came in there. People who are maybe new to vintage, aren’t quite sure what it’s all about, a bit timid about it; they seem to be more comfortable coming in and giving it a go. Actually looking, and seeing – “oh wow, you’ve got Levis jeans.” We have got a few new customers as well, and some people realising what it is. Some people who are just like “oh, it’s all second-hand stuff.” They don’t realise that it’s 20-years or older. It’s the age of it, not that it’s second hand. It’s good; we’re teaching more people about vintage.
Educating Cambridge?
Yeah. They’re liking it. People are realising it’s better value, because it’s better quality. Vintage doesn’t have to be expensive. They might have gone to London or whatever and seen some vintage shops that are pricey, and they have that association. It’s nice to get more customers, and get more people into vintage.
We only realised the other day that Jemporium Vintage is from your name?
Yeah. Everyone says “is your name Jemma?” or “why didn’t you do Jenporium, like J-E-N. It would have made more sense.” And I don’t know, I’ve just always liked the word “emporium”, so I was trying to find something, a word, some name that was different. I just thought, “jemporium.” It’s one of those things that you brainstorm for ages. Nothing is quite right. It’s difficult, isn’t it? It’s stuck now, so that’s it – there’s no going back.
How is it for you as an independant shop in Cambridge?
Being an independent shop in Cambridge is actually challenging. It’s mainly because of the rents and the rates, because it’s Cambridge, it’s just so expensive. So normally the only people that can afford to pay them are the chains.
Also, there’s not that many small-sized shops in Cambridge that you can rent. So we’ve done all the square footage which is obviously bigger now, so it’s more expensive. All the shop leases are on really long terms, so ten years. You find yourself having to commit to such a long-term rent at such a high price. It is scary. You feel a little bit like people aren’t necessarily making it easier for you, like not trying to look after the small independents.
Cambridge is really into development – building more flats, and getting bigger and bigger. Things like the Grand Arcade with all the expensive shops and stuff. They don’t seem very keen to try and protect or help independents. The thing is with that, is eventually they’re going to end up with a clone-zoned town, with nothing different. So people will be like “I can go shopping in any city – it’s all the same shops, it doesn’t matter. There’s nothing special there that’s going to draw me to that town.” I think it’s quite short-sighted of them to do that. You think about Brighton, you’ve got the lanes. In London you’ve got Portobello Market. Everywhere’s got a little cluster or area of independant shops and stalls or whatever. That’s a real draw to that city or place. I think what they could do is have an area in Cambridge where they have maybe reduced rents or shorter leases, or the council could then subsidise business rates, or something like that. Get a load of people in, running their own businesses. It’s good for the local economy; it’s good for everyone, really.
It’s a unique attraction, isn’t it?
Yeah, exactly. So that’s my idea, which i doubt will ever happen. It’s a nice dream. Or just like something to think of a solution, not just complain about things, like actually think how could they make it easier for independants; what could they do, what could be done? But yeah, I should probably tell someone the idea. They might do it, you never know.
One final, cliché question – what’s one piece of advice you’d give to vintage shoppers? Or people new to vintage?
People new to vintage... it’s hard to pick one thing. Well, I always say to people to try stuff on. I think that’s probably the most important thing, because things can look really different just hanging on the hanger. Put it on, and it might just look amazing. Put it with different things. Style it differently. And, sizing labels in vintage stuff – whatever the size is, it can vary so much, so we try and put the modern equivalent size on our tags, but it can be confusing, so just the best way is to try stuff on, and you can get the perfect fit. I think that’d be it.
We'd like to thank Jenny for her time and advise everyone to check out the new location of Jemporium Vintage at 6A Burleigh Street (the only shop with a glowing font in Cambridge's city centre).
Opening times:
Monday - Saturday: 10:30am-6pm
Sunday: 11am-5pm