Julie and her Noah’s Ark

This week, we are celebrating The Olive Branch Toy Shop’s 8th Birthday! Eight years! That’s a marvel in itself. And among the celebrations and charity fundraising, it’s important for Julie to have her Noah’s Ark take centre stage in the shop window. But why is the Lanka Kade Deluxe Ark Julie’s favourite toy? Today, we will find out!

Early inspiration

When Julie and Alex first accepted the opportunity to take on this beautiful shop, they weren’t actually sure what form it would take and what products they would stock! Funny to think of it that way now, eight years on. It’s hard to imagine it any other way! So imagine that first Retail Fair they attended, stepping into an arena full of stockists, showcasing their products. “It was mindblowing!” recalls Julie, “And the first thing we saw when we stepped into that fair was this stunning Lanka Kade Ark.”

It was one of those meant-to-be moments, when everything seemed to line up. The Lanka Kade Ark is truly a stunning gift: it’s a beautiful centrepiece, heirloom and gorgeous toy and always catches people’s attention whenever we unpack one from the box. The decision was made there and then – it would be a toy shop, in the heart of Castle Donington, for families to come to and always feel welcomed.

In the Window

As the Grand Opening Day in 2016 grew steadily nearer, Alex had everything fitted out perfectly in the shop. Where would we be without him! Holly had all the toys neatly displayed and Julie set about putting her Noah’s Ark in the window. It was the first thing she saw at the Retail Fair and it had taken her breath away. It would now be the first thing our customers would see as they arrived at the shop.

It was a beautiful autumn morning and the shop soon filled with it’s very first guests. The coffees and cakes were flowing from the very beginning, Julie and Alex using this wonderful event to also support a wonderful charity by combining the Opening Day with a Macmillan Coffee Morning Fundraiser. We have always viewed this place as more than just a shop – it’s a special place in the community, for the community, and we always want to be giving something back.

At the close of that very first day, a stunning rainbow appeared in the sky, seemingly right over our beloved little shop. We knew then that we were off to a good start, that this would be something special: a symbol of hope and a new beginning.

Rollercoaster Ride

When we opened the shop back in 2016, we didn’t even know if we would make it ’til Christmas! Running a small business is hard and we really were just finding our way. So when we made it to 1 year, there was only one way we could choose to mark it: by hosting a Macmillan Coffee Morning! And so a tradition was started. We are proud to have supported this fantastic charity each year, even managing a socially distanced fundraiser through the COVID years.

Times haven’t always been easy. In eight years, we’ve survived COVID, a cost of living crisis and countless other ups and downs that have come our way. Through it all, we have been blessed to have the most amazing community around us, filled with fantastic friends and followers who have supported us along the entire way. It’s such a cliché, but it really is true – we absolutely would not be here without you wonderful people choosing to shop with us. And that’s why we keep going, to give something back to the amazing people who have kept us going through the most challenging of times.

8 years…. Julie and her Noah’s Ark

And so by some happy miracle, we have found ourselves today looking back on eight years of The Olive Branch Toy Shop. Eight years of being just a tiny part of people’s special occasions, birthdays, Christmas’s, new arrivals and Christenings. We’ve welcomed children with their pocket money to spend, new parents buying first gifts for their little ones and grandparents sharing cherished moments with their grandchildren. It’s those moments of joy that are just the best and we thank our lucky stars every day that we are in this fortunate position to be a part of those moments.

Today, it’s another beautiful autumn morning. Julie’s got her Noah’s Ark back in the window, the kettle is on, the fundraising pots are ready, we are waiting to say a big THANK YOU to all of you as you celebrate with us.

Here’s to the future… Anyone for cake….?!