Inverness business urges: Shop local and help indies survive
Inverness residents are being encouraged to think local when spoiling their mum this Mother’s Day, helping small businesses to stay open.
A mum and daughter running a popular Inverness business are taking part in a ‘mums love local’ campaign encouraging people to think local when they spoil their mum this Mother’s Day, supporting local businesses at the same time.
Jennie Kane is the manager of Keepsakes in Inverness, ably assisted by daughter and deputy manager Cayley.
“I joined Keepsakes to be a part of a family run business, started in Pitlochry by the Nicol family," Jennie said. "They asked me to come on board in Inverness and was able to bring my daughter Cayley with me. Cayley and I had always wanted to work together so jumped at the chance. There are also mums, daughters and brothers working together in the other stores.
“It took Cayley and I a good 6 months to move from mum and daughter to manager and deputy, but we’re best friends and it has brought us even closer. It just seems to work because we balance each other out. I hate paperwork and filing whereas Cayley is brilliant at organisation. I prefer the practical and customer side. It just works and we’re both having the time of our lives.
“At Keepsakes, we supply both locals and tourists with gifts, with something for every budget and occasion, from jewellery and handbags to collectibles and kitchen items. We’re nearly coming up to our second year in Inverness now and the support we’ve had from locals has been fantastic.
“You wouldn’t think that you’d have regulars in a gift shop, but we do. Often, people will pop in to say hello. It’s a lovely community in Inverness. There are four of us who work here, and we treat everyone as we’d want to be treated. We have such a laugh behind the till, and with our customers too. People buy from people and the loyalty of locals has helped us to weather the storm of recent years.”
Keepsakes is one of more than 160 businesses who are part of the Inverness Gift Card.
Jennie added: “We jumped straight on the Inverness Gift Card because it’s all about keeping money local and reinforces the community feel we have here in Inverness. Locals are our bread and butter. The gift card encourages people into the town and through the door of businesses they haven’t been in before, and is such a good idea.
“My perfect Mother’s Day would be a lie-in, then a roast dinner and family board games or even a spa day with Cayley, but the downside to working together is we never get the same day off! If I were given an Inverness Gift Card, I’d spend it on coffee and craft.
“I never understood the importance of shopping local until I worked on the high street. When you come into Inverness, you see the independent businesses and you see that it’s people’s livelihoods at stake. Everything you can get online, you can get in Inverness. Shopping local this Mother’s Day means survival for our small businesses.”
The Inverness Gift Card launched in 2022 as part of Inverness BID’s drive to boost the local economy.
Inverness BID director Lorraine Bremner McBride said: “Our local businesses are the lifeblood of our city, employing local people and contributing hugely to the vibrancy of Inverness. The Inverness Gift Card can be spent with over 80 retailers, over 50 food and drink establishments, plus health and beauty businesses, leisure and attractions and service providers, making it a suitable gift for a wide range of ages and interests this Mother’s Day.”
