Washington owner celebrates new shop opening in Richmond

Caris Green, based in Newbiggin, Richmond, is run by its namesake owner who creates her own nature-inspired candles, diffusers and was melts.

The business was initially set up four years ago, with Caris running all operations from her home in Washington, Tyne & Wear.

Caris in front of the new store in Richmond (Image: Caris Green) Caris said she excited to have expanded her business, by opening a brick-and-mortar gift shop.

This, in turn, has allowed her to also stock the products of other small businesses, something which is very important to her.

Caris said: “My shop will not stock any big brands. All of the products are made in Britain, with the majority of brands being based in the North East.”

The last few months have seen a couple of knockbacks for Caris.

Plans with her first chosen premises fell through just days before she was set to open, causing the entrepreneur to rethink her future.

Caris added: “Everything happens for a reason. People kept telling me that the right place would find me, and it did. It was just meant to be.”

Inside the new store in Richmond, Caris Green (Image: Caris Green) Caris, along with her supportive husband Johnny, has worked tirelessly over the past four weeks to transform this old Georgian building into her dream retail space.

“My husband and I have done all the renovations ourselves; we even built our own furniture! We worked hard to make the space to feel easy going, relaxed and colourful,” said Caris.

“It’s quickly become my happy place.”

After her grand opening on August 16, Caris’s shop has already received local attention.

She said: “It was busy and brilliant. The other local businesses in Richmond have been so welcoming, and I have also received support from my existing online customer base.”

Her cocker spaniel Daisy is also becoming somewhat of a local celebrity, with many customers hoping to see more of the dog as they visit the shop.

Caris and Johnny, with dog Daisy, in front of the new store in Richmond (Image: Caris Green)

Caris is aware of the risks that small businesses face when opening on the high street. However, she remains positive about the future of her business.

She added: “Richmond is a beautiful place but it’s also much more than that. There is a great sense of community. It is the perfect place to be.”

Caris already has lots of ideas for the coming months. These include running candle-making workshops and a special collaboration with small-business owner ‘Ceramics by Kat’ to launch a re-fillable candles range.

Caris Green will be open Wednesday-Saturday 10am-5pm and Sundays 10am-4pm. Hours may vary depending on seasonal demand.