05/11/2024
Holly’s is now closed….and it’s taken me a couple of days to find words. I’m not good with keeping things short… so friends, if you wish, pull up a chair 😊
It’s been just over 3 weeks since we announced the planned closure of Hollys, and I don’t think any of us imagined the impact this news would have on you all.
I knew how emotional the decision was for me, but listening to your memories of the coffee shop, what it meant to you, little life moments that you remember connected to ‘going for a Hollys’, and what you will miss, has confirmed to me just how special this little space was for our community, it was more than just coffee and treats…and for telling us your stories and supporting us over the past 10 years but especially the past few weeks I thank you.
The wave of kindness and love we have felt has been overwhelming.
Our very last customer on Friday at 3pm was a regular customer called Holly and this for me was quite poignant 😊
So, a little back story…
10 years ago when the coffee shop was being designed and discussed we needed a name. Hollys was suggested….I remember getting really emotional about it. Allen & Shelly have a daughter called Holly and for those that don’t know, Gavin and my first daughter (Holly) was still born at 36 weeks. Any parent who has lost a child knows the importance of keeping their memory alive. Right there and then I knew Hollys was a perfect name and I couldn’t wait for people to be using her name on a daily basis. I knew deep down I would do all the hours needed to make it work…. There’s nothing like an emotional attachment to a business to make you work harder than you ever have… anyone that is involved in a family business will understand this…. For most people using the name ‘Hollys’ meant letting others know where they would meet for lunch or catch up over a coffee… or gather some sweet treats for the weekend. For me, hearing Hollys name every day somehow made me feel like she was here with me and that’s why it was so special for me… and that’s why I believe it felt so ‘like home’ to some of you….and creating a space that brings joy and community to people through coffee and food can only be a wonderful thing in the memory of a loved one.
So the big question…why close?… I believe you know when it’s time to begin a journey and you also know when the right time is to end it. Earlier this year, being diagnosed with cancer and facing surgery and preventative treatment which is now ongoing, along with other complications, this completely made me revaluate my life… I felt it was time for me to prioritise my health over the shop and instead focus completely on getting healthy again, physically but also mentally. Making what you sell and selling what you make brings another element to running a coffee shop. It is what made us unique but also adds alot of hours behind the scene. I have loved it all, but It took over my life and now it’s time for me to give myself a break and find out who I am without the coffee shop. Selling the Hollys name was never an option mainly because for me it would feel like I was selling my baby girls memory… and I just couldn’t consider this.
So… the double edge sword of Hollys for me is the fact that the emotional attachment I had for the business made me (and everyone else around me) work so hard to make it successful… but that sentiment also makes it so very difficult to say goodbye. I am so very proud of everything we have achieved… mostly the moments of joy, friendship, and community it created.
We have had quite the journey, ups and downs but one that I will never forgot…some of you have told us stories about your children growing up and milestones being celebrated in Hollys or first dates or how going for a coffee over Covid times was the highlight of your day at a strange and scary time we were all living in. We had the pleasure of witnessing all of this and so much more from the other side of the counter… happy moments and more poignantly offering a hug or a chat during the sad times in life. Both for us and for you guys. As a team, we have always felt more like a family, or friends that just happen to work together (and more often socialise together) and I like to think this showed to you, our customers, many of whom we now call friends.
Hollys will always be one of the most special chapters of my life, I got to do what I love, and call it work, not many can say that. It makes me very proud that it was also one of your favourite places to visit for so long and for that I thank you ❤️
Don’t be sad because it’s over.. smile because it happened xx
