Cranbornes – Charming New Gift Shop Opens In Dorchester

Wednesday, October 13th, 2021

Cranbornes is a charming new shop which opened earlier this month in Dorchester. The business already has a successful Shaftesbury based gift shop and has recently opened its doors in the historic Antelope Walk.

Stocking a wonderful selection of gifts, cards, stationery, jewellery and women’s accessories, Cranbornes is set to become a regular destination for gift ideas and inspiration in Dorset’s County Town.

We caught up with Karen Hardwick – co-owner of the business to find out more…

Karen Hardwick, Cranbornes of dorchester

What is the history behind you and your business?

Cranbornes was opened in 1992 by Jonathan & Elizabeth Patterson in Shaftesbury, Dorset. I joined the team in 1996 as a shop assistant and eventually took over as the manager and buyer for the shop.

In 2019 Jonathan & Elizabeth decided to retire and along with my partner Tony King, we bought the business.

What made you chose Antelope Walk as a place to open the Dorchester shop?

A great opportunity came along to open in Dorchester and we decided to give it a go! Antelope Walk is a very pretty walk and we think it makes a perfect new home for Cranbornes.

Cranbornes gift shop in Dorchester, Dorset

How are you finding Dorchester as a place to trade since you opened?

Since opening on the 2nd of October 2021 it’s been amazing – the feedback from people in Dorchester has been so positive. Thank you to everyone for making us feel so welcome!

Can you describe your business in 3 words?

Unique gift ideas.

What makes Cranbornes different from other gift shops in Dorchester?

Being an independent gift shop we can source items from different and individual companies. We hope that Cranbornes provides gifts you wouldn’t normally find on the high street.

One of our biggest aims is to keep the high street thriving. We do have a website, but we choose to use this only for information, and prefer to encourage shoppers to visit us in store and enjoy the browsing experience.

What are the most popular items you sell?

The most popular items we sell are always Bamboo Socks – super soft and very comfortable – a real treat for your feet!

Have you any exciting plans for the future?

In the next few weeks we are opening another shop (in Shaftesbury) – we did a pop-up toy shop last year and are about to open a permanent one next to Cranbornes. We will be bringing a selection of unique children’s toys over to our shop in Dorchester…

Be sure to pop into Cranbornes in Antelope Walk when you next visit Dorchester. Keep up with the latest shop updates by checking out Cranbornes on Facebook and Instagram – @cranbornes_of_dorchester. Give them a follow today!