Part 2 | More than just a shop
More Than Just a Shop
In Part One, I shared how I unexpectedly opened a FINDRA shop on Innerleithen High Street, even though I never planned to go into bricks-and-mortar retail! I also explained why, when I seriously considered closing it during COVID, something just didn't feel right.
I realised that our little space meant more to me, and to the community, than simply another part of the FINDRA business.
So we kept the doors open. But what happened next was another adventure I certainly hadn't planned for. A café! And, eventually, a gallery and a business my three boys could build for themselves.
From Stockroom to Shop to Café
In 2021, we moved the operational side of FINDRA out of Innerleithen and into a new space in Walkerburn. It gave us the room we desperately needed for stock and fulfilment, and freed up a lot of space on the High Street.
Our bricks-and-mortar retail journey started with a small shop at the front of the high street building, with our office, design studio, and stockroom taking up the rest. Now we had the chance to think about what the whole space could become.
Personally, I love nothing more than stopping for tea and cake after a bike ride or a long walk. In fact, the thought of a cake stop in a lovely little tearoom at the end is often what motivates me to get out in the first place!
So the prospect of having my own café was pretty exciting. Albeit one I had absolutely no idea how to run! But then, I do seem to quite like being pushed out of my comfort zone.
The initial idea felt simple enough: offer great coffee and cake in a friendly, welcoming environment.
There was just one small problem. I don't drink coffee!!! I had absolutely no idea what a good cup of coffee was supposed to taste like, let alone how to make one. But we didnt let that small issue st
Coffee, Cake and a Little Help Along the Way
From day one, I was very clear that I wanted to work with local suppliers wherever possible, and after a bit of research, I found the incredible Three Hills Coffee, an artisan roastery based here in the Scottish Borders.
Jess and Richard, the founders, are amazing. Their passion for coffee was infectious, and they were so supportive, guiding us through the whole process, from making the best cup of coffee to explaining why certain steps matter. Which was just as well, given my complete lack of coffee knowledge!
At that point, my eldest son, John, was the only one of my sons working with us. So John was tasked with becoming our barista. Off he went to train with the team at Three Hills, and thankfully he took to it like a duck to water, becoming rather obsessed with making the best cup of coffee.
At least one of us now knew what we were doing!
With the coffee side of things coming together, the next challenge was figuring out how to make the space work as both a clothing shop and a place where people could sit, relax, and enjoy a cuppa.
A Knock on the Door
Getting the layout right took quite a bit of thought and planning. And, funnily enough, two people who knew a thing or two about retail gave me some very timely advice.
One day, when the shop was closed to the public, I was in the space trying to work out the best layout. There was a knock on the door, and James Barnes and David Stevenson walked in!
James was part of the family behind Dobbies Garden Centres, and David founded The Edinburgh Woollen Mill. David was a Borders lad who'd built his business up from nothing. Our paths had crossed over the years, but we'd never met in person.
I knew James, who was interested in what we were doing at FINDRA. He told me he was in the area with David, and they decided to pop in and say hello. How serendipitous is that!!
It sounds crazy and almost too good to be true, but I have had so many moments like this throughout my FINDRA journey, moments that have had a big impact on what I have done or, in some cases, what I haven't done! It amazes me how these things happen: the right person shows up at a crucial point, or you're introduced to someone who can share their experience right when you need that insight. I dont believe it's a coincidence; I am sure something more is at work, but that's another blog for another day!
Anyway, we got chatting, and both James and David offered really valuable advice. David told me not to intertwine the café seating and retail areas too much. He pointed out that People having coffee wouldn't feel relaxed with shoppers browsing around them, and people looking at clothes wouldn't feel comfortable shopping around people sitting having coffee.
Simple advice, but so good, and given at exactly the right time.
Once we had the layout sorted, we had local bakers and suppliers to find, crockery to organise, and a hundred little details to think about. And of course I wanted everything to feel right and on brand for FINDRA, rather than as though we'd simply squeezed a café into the corner of a shop.
A Café of Our Own
From the outset, I'd decided I wanted the café to be a standalone business. Although customers would still experience the shop and café together as FINDRA Innerleithen, the café would be legally and commercially separate from FINDRA.
I thought that if the boys wanted to get involved, they could build and take it forward themselves, separately from FINDRA. This gave them a chance to carve out their own paths and futures, rather than simply working within the clothing brand I'd created.
So in 2023, Roddy and I set up the café business and took over the shop space, with FINDRA operating as a clothing concession within it.
And so began another new adventure!
Keeping It in the Family
Jamie and Graeme had already worked with me at FINDRA. Graeme completed a customer service apprenticeship, earned his HND, and spent three years in fulfilment and customer service. Jamie had worked as our fulfilment manager for two years.
But both loved hospitality and wanted to spread their wings, do more customer-facing work, and gain experience beyond the family business. I felt that was really important. There's so much to learn from working with different people in different places. So in the spring of 2023, they both headed off to new roles.
But their paths ultimately led them back to FINDRA. Graeme joined the café part-time in 2024 while also working part-time at Traquair House Café. Jamie also worked in hospitality locally before joining us as café manager in 2025. He introduced our lunch offering, taking us beyond the original coffee-and-cake idea.
Then, in the summer of 2026, Graeme joined full-time; all three boys were now committed and involved in building the café together!
What started as a small addition to the shop became a business they could really make their own.
Working Together as a Family. What Could Possibly Go Wrong?!
Now, I'd love to tell you that working together as a family has been an absolute breeze. But that wouldn't be entirely true!!
At the very beginning, I made one thing clear to my sons: our relationship as mum and sons came first. Nothing, especially not a business, would get in the way of that.
Of course, saying it is one thing. Putting it into practice is quite another!
In the early days, we held our work meetings at home, and I'd make food for everyone. My sons don't need to be invited twice if there's food on offer!
It seemed like a great idea until one evening, a dinner discussion got rather heated. None of us enjoyed that much, and we realised we needed to separate work from family life.
Home had to be somewhere we could relax and just be a family, without every conversation turning into a café meeting. So now we keep the meetings at the café after opening hours. No more talking shop over dinner!
We've also all had to learn to talk to one another professionally about the business, rather than slipping straight back into our familiar family roles and dynamics. Believe me, that's not always easy. We've had a few tantrums and tears along the way!
But we're determined to work through the challenges and make it work. The boys make the day-to-day decisions, bring their own ideas and take responsibility for what happens next. Seeing them take ownership and grow in confidence is incredibly rewarding.
There's More Than One Way to Learn
Watching the boys build their working lives has made me think a lot about the expectations we place on young people.
All three of my sons went into hospitality after school. They're bright, capable young men, but none chose further education next. It simply didn't appeal to them. They wanted to get out into the world, work, do things and learn as they went. Graeme later earned his HND in customer service through his apprenticeship at FINDRA with Borders College, a great example of how learning doesn't have to follow one particular route.
I think we sometimes treat further education as the natural next step. It's absolutely right for many people, but not for everyone. Choosing a different path doesn't mean a lack of ambition, ability or potential.
I genuinely believe we should encourage more young people to back themselves, take chances and perhaps even start their own businesses. Entrepreneurship isn't for everyone, and I know not everyone has the resources or support to take that leap. But it should be a possibility more young people feel able to consider.
Starting a business is hard work. There are risks, mistakes, difficult decisions and plenty of moments when you wonder what on earth you're doing! I've experienced all of that building FINDRA, and still do.
But there's also real satisfaction in having an idea, taking a chance on it and seeing what you can create. That sense of independence and pride in carving out your own path is worth something.
Opportunities to Stay in the Borders
Another important part of the boys' story: all three wanted to stay in the Scottish Borders.
They grew up here, love living here and wanted to build their lives here. The café has given them the chance to create something of their own without leaving the place they call home.
We talk a lot about the challenge of keeping young people in rural communities. But if we want them to stay, we need more than good intentions. We need opportunities to work, learn, take responsibility and build a future locally.
A thriving High Street can help. It can create jobs, encourage people to take chances and help young people see that they don't necessarily have to move away to find a future for themselves.
Encouraging young people to work, build businesses and invest in their local communities is also vital to the future of our local economies and High Streets.
This is particularly important in rural communities, where young people really are the lifeblood of our towns and villages. They bring fresh perspectives, new ideas and the energy to make things happen.
If we want our rural communities to survive and flourish for generations to come, we need to embrace that enthusiasm, support their ambitions and create opportunities that encourage them to stay and build their futures here.
Making Space for Local Creativity
Another part of the building I particularly love is our gallery. This part of the business evolved unexpectedly and very naturally.
Having spent my working life in design and the creative industries, I know how important it is for artists and makers to have places to show their work. And the Scottish Borders has so much creative talent!
We've hosted exhibitions, taken part in Innerleithen Open Studios and enjoyed sharing local artists' work with residents and visitors alike.
For me, the gallery isn't simply an addition to the café. It's another way the building can give something back.
I love that someone might pop in for a coffee and discover an artist they've never heard of, or that an artist might reach people who wouldn't ordinarily visit a gallery. I strongly believe art and creativity should be part of everyday life, and it's lovely to make space for that.
Use It or Lose It
My original blog's message hasn't changed: if we don't use our High Streets, we risk losing them. And once those businesses and spaces are gone, they aren't always easy to replace.
We've all become used to the convenience of shopping online. I say that as someone who runs an e-commerce business! I'm certainly not suggesting we should stop. That would be rather hypocritical of me!
But I do think we need to be more conscious of our choices and their impact.
Every time we visit an independent café, buy from a local shop, attend an exhibition, or recommend a small business, we help sustain the places that make our towns and villages interesting and enjoyable places to live. As business owners, we need to keep investing, adapting, and giving people a reason to come through the door.
When I first walked into 83 High Street, I couldn't have imagined how it would evolve. What began as a practical solution for FINDRA has become a shop, a café, a gallery and a family venture. It's supported local suppliers and artists, created opportunities and given my sons the chance to build something in the place they love and where they grew up.
We're still learning and changing things, and there are certainly no guarantees. But I hope we've added something positive to Innerleithen along the way.
For me, the future of our High Streets isn't just about filling empty shops or recreating what we once had. It's about seeing what our spaces could become: places that bring people together, support local talent and give the next generation opportunities to build something new.
Because a thriving High Street isn't just good for business. It's good for the people who call that place home. That's something worth investing in.
Alex xx
Sunday Inspiration
Favourite Art work
Keith Haring - See No Evil Hear No Evil Speak No Evil
Favourite Quote
Favourite Song
Bob Marley - Three Little Birds
This song holds a very special place in my heart. When the boys' dad and I separated, it became a special song for my three boys; we would sing it together in the car as a little reminder that everything was going to be alright. ❤️
