Motivated by the inspiration of her one-year-old daughter, a determined mum decided to leave her steady corporate job and to open an ‘instagrammable’ nursery boutique in the heart of Cheshire.
Victoria Percy opened Bump Nursery Boutique on April 26th this year. She decided to launch the luxury business venture, located on London Road in Davenham Village, Northwich, after travelling back to her hometown of Rochdale to purchase essentials when she was pregnant.
The mum shares her daughter with her fiance and business partner Matt. Victoria met Matt after moving to Cheshire four years prior and the couple have now embarked on their latest adventure together – Bump.
The boutique specialises in giving parents-to-be the opportunity to make purchasing a pram or essentials for their unborn baby the ‘occasion it should be’.
Victoria said: “I’d gone back to Rochdale to look at baby items and Matt and I had the business idea then to open up a baby shop within the Northwich area but because the previous owner of Bump had exclusivity with suppliers, it went on the back burner.
“When the previous owner wanted to sell the business earlier this year, it all just fell into place and we took over. Bump has been an established business since the end of 2016 and we have taken the reins.
“We are wanting to take the luxury boutique in a change of direction. Our aim is to make it a one stop shop for all newborn essentials. We also specialise in gifting and clothing.”
Victoria offers a flexible appointment service where customers can bring their family and friends to excitedly browse the shop and what it has to offer.
The 35-year-old, who has an 18-month-old daughter Nancy and an eight-year-old step son Henry, has vowed that customers will always receive the ‘very best customer service and honest advice’.
She said: “Our aim is to make buying your pram and everything for your nursery a day to remember. Make a day of it with our very popular 1:1 personalised appointment service where you can come with your family and friends and enjoy the local surroundings.
“Our other premium services include a guaranteed price match, a pram building and car seat fitting service and simple deposit payment schemes. Maybe squeeze in a pub lunch in one of the many fabulous country pubs on our doorstep while you’re here.”
Victoria formerly worked in HR at an accountancy firm but says that the birth of her daughter changed her mindset and inspired her to step into the unknown and run her own business.
She admitted: “It’s all so new to me, I’ve never run a business before. I don’t think it’s something I would have done prior to having a daughter, I want her to see how hard I am working and to grow up knowing you can make something for yourself as a woman. This is a really important message.”
Everything available in the boutique has been carefully researched and selected by Victoria. The shop stocks products from well-loved brands including Cybex, iCandy, egg, Oyster, BabyJogger, Doona, Snuz, The Little Green Sheep Co, CuddleCo, Purflo. Products from three independent clothing and gifting brands are also available – Another Fox, Neutrum Bear and Rose & Guy.
Victoria said: “I keep an eye on current trends. The iCandy, Peach 7 pram in the colour Biscotti is very popular at the moment because of Molly-Mae Hague. I like to pick up on what’s popular and the current trends on social media and through research.
“In the store, there is a lot of gender neutral clothing in a bit of a move away from the traditional blue and pink. I wouldn’t ever stock or try to promote products that I can’t get on board with and buy into myself. Everything is carefully selected.”
As well as selling items from popular brands and suppliers, Victoria has also decided to plan events for parents and parents-to-be in the area. These include baby first aid courses, baby yoga classes and a Parents To Be event where local businesses will present their products and services to families.
Victoria has also been working with ‘The Mum Club Hale’ who are hosting an event at Trafford Palazzo in the Trafford Centre, in Manchester, on Monday 10th July. She will have a stand where visitors will be able to see what products are available in store, and there will be exclusive event promotions on orders and purchases. Victoria will also be holding Q&A sessions and offering demonstrations of products.
The 35-year-old added: “I think it helps that the shop is run by a mum so I’ve got an insight into what people genuinely need and we’re trying to make it a supportive experience with us offering classes and promoting very local businesses so we’re building each other up.
“To say we’ve only been there for ten weeks – we’ve come so far in such a short time and it’s only the beginning.”
Bump Nursery Boutique is open between 10am and 4.30pm on Wednesday to Saturday, between 11am and 4pm on Sunday and open for appointments only on Tuesday. It is closed on Monday.
You can follow Bump Nursery Boutique on Instagram here, or Facebook here.