Where passion meets purpose: how Jennifer turned her love of fabrics into a community space

When the local fabric shop closed its doors, Jennifer Allen drew on her nearly 30 years of fabric and haberdashery trade experience and strong customer base to launch Genny's Emporium, a haven for creativity and community.

Genny's Emporium is a fabric, trimmings and haberdashery shop. It offers a curated selection of fabrics and trimmings, ladies' accessories, a made-to-measure service for dressmaking and curtains and sewing classes.

Here, Jennifer talks about what prompted her to start her own business, the challenges she faced as a new business owner and how Grow London Local has supported her business journey.

What inspired you to launch Genny's Emporium?

It was a combination of passion, experience and community need.

I love selecting fabrics and products that customers fall in love with. Hearing them say, "I want to buy everything, Jenny!" and "I don't want to leave" makes it all worthwhile.

When the shop I worked in closed, many customers encouraged me to open my own place. It was their loyalty and belief in me that gave me the confidence to start something of my own, alongside a need for a dedicated fabric and sewing shop in the community.

What challenges have you faced as a business owner and how have you overcome them?

Running a business can be unpredictable. One of the biggest challenges came in 2023, when my shop suffered a major flood. I lost most of my stock. It was devastating, both financially and emotionally.

But thanks to the support of the local community, a GoFundMe campaign and my determination not to give up, I was able to reopen.

Another long-running challenge has been the ongoing roadworks in the town centre. This has reduced footfall and made it harder to attract new customers.

Despite this, I've adapted by diversifying my offerings: planning sewing workshops, offering custom-made services, developing a digital sewing pattern and selling ladies' accessories such as fascinators, jewellery and scarves.

I've overcome each setback through resilience, creativity and community support. Every challenge has pushed me to think differently, work harder and build something stronger. Genny's Emporium is still here because it's rooted in purpose, and I'm proud of that journey.

How did you hear about Grow London Local, and what has your experience been like?

A friend recommended me to Grow London Local. I met with one of the Business Support Managers, Winnie, who asked lots of questions about my business, including what it was about and what help I needed.

With this information, Winnie put together a tailored plan for Genny's Emporium. The plan has helped with digital marketing, funding and the website.

Would you recommend Grow London Local to other small businesses?

Yes. Grow London Local has all the resources a business needs to grow, and it's free.

I've implemented a few strategies from the digital marketing advice and it's helping me to grow my customer base.

What's next for Genny's Emporium? Any exciting developments on the horizon?

Running sewing classes on a regular basis, designing branded fabrics and patterns and expanding the crafts selection, as there's a great demand for it.

Finally, what advice would you give to other small businesses in London?

Be passionate about your business, get to know your customers, ask for help and use all resources available to you. There is something there for everyone.

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