When Kerry Ferrar made the move to Suffolk from London, never did she imagine she’d become a fully-fledged businesswoman.
But that’s exactly what happened, as the mum-of-three took the plunge and opened Pocket, a shop that focusses on design-led and sustainable toys for children.
Born out of what was originally intended to be a two-week pop-up shop before Christmas, Pocket was so successful that she decided to take a gamble and make it her full-time gig. And things have been going from strength-to-strength for the entrepreneur.
Explaining what drew her to Suffolk, she says: “We bought a tiny cottage and were up and down the A12 most weekends, so we decided to make the move and leave London. It was one of those quite odd things, as we didn’t have any connections with Suffolk, but we just loved the feel of it, and it was the perfect location to get us out of the city.”
Kerry, who is a graphic designer, struggled to find design-led, well-made soft toys for her children, so started designing and making her own
“When my kids were young, I decided to make toys for them, as I couldn’t find the sort of thing I was looking for. I had no intention of setting up my own shop,” she says.
But her husband, who she says loves browsing Rightmove, happened to stumble upon a property that would make the perfect shop - 26 Church Street.
“We had one of those moments, and thought we should just do it. It seemed like an exciting opportunity, and a good place to set up shop with so many independents already here.”
“For the pop-up I started selling my own products, alongside a small, carefully-curated selection of other brands that I felt complimented my own work.
and we were over the moon with how it went. We were testing the waters, but we realised there’s definitely a market for that sort of thing here in Woodbridge.”
Explaining the three fundamental principles behind her shop, she says: “Firstly, because I’m a graphic designer, I’m very design-aware for everything I choose for the shop is well-designed. Secondly, there are so many kids on screens nowadays, so I'm trying to encourage open-ended play for children, being creative, and enjoying being a kid without being on a screen all the time. And thirdly, sustainability. When choosing brands and products, I make sure they share the Pocket ethos by being aware of provenance, and using sustainable materials wherever possible, such as organic fabrics, recycled paper, or even recycled plastic.
“As a family, sustainability is really important to us. I think based on what’s going on in the world right now, it’s key that we don’t buy and throw things away. It’s difficult, but equally if you buy something sustainable and well-made, it will last longer.”
“When I first stared out, I used to make my own products, but as things started to grow, I needed more help. Some of the brands I sell include Freckle, a company based in Wales set up by two mums a couple of years ago. They design and make beautiful products which encourage kids to get outside and explore, like leaf identifiers. They use wood to make their magnifying glasses, and they’ll tell you what tree the wood comes from, and I find that sort of story fascinating.
“I also work with FabricWorks, an East London social enterprise. It’s a team of women who have various disadvantages who have found employment difficult but are then trained up to work. It’s an amazing initiative, and we pay them the London Living Wage for what they do.”
With one successful year under her belt, Kerry is thankful for all she’s achieved – and has big dreams for the future of Pocket.
“If you told me that a couple of years ago I’d be celebrating a year running a shop, I wouldn’t have believed you. It’s a big cliché but it’s been a huge learning curve, as I’ve never done anything like this before. But having people return to the shop is a huge compliment, because you know you’re doing something right, and we’ve been getting so much support from people around us.
“I’ve gone from having a small selection of products and growing that, so over the next year I want to continue doing that. My own products have taken a backseat, but I’d like to refocus on my range – perhaps create making kits for kids. I’d also love to do some workshops with kids and get them outside, as a lot of our products celebrate nature. And in January we’re going to be a collection point for Acre Bakery. I’ve known Emily for a while and she asked if we’d be interested in doing that. For me, it encourages that community feel, and it will be nice for people to grab their bread and have a mooch around the shop.”
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