Future & Found in London NW5 is a cool, calm and curated store which opened its doors back in March 2012. The owner, Andrea Bates, had such a great reaction to her website (launched in November 2011) that the next logical step was a physical presence. The obvious location was Tufnell Park, having lived in the area for 8 years; Andrea wanted to offer something different for locals. The name Future & Found captures the essence of the merchandise which is simple, understated but eclectic. Andrea mixes new up and coming designers with reclaimed vintage pieces and fabulous objects discovered on her travels. In essence, the store showcases an edited, handpicked collection of beautiful things for your home – understated in style but all tell a story. To give you an idea of what’s on offer, Andrea has selected her top 5 buys …
Margaret Jug Large, £49
Smoky Handmade Wine Glass, £8
Vintage Shoe Last, £13
Triangles Cushion, £24 (was £30)
Circles Print, £90
Future & Found is a calm and serene haven, with its white washed walls, wooden floors and carefully arranged stock. Andrea has been inventive in how she displays her wares – crates and chairs have been secured to the walls and used as shelves to showcase goods. Andrea is responsible for the look of the store, introducing new stock every fortnight with weekly changes to keep things interesting …
Andrea has 14 years buying experience for brands such as Jamie Oliver, Heal’s and Paperchase, she appreciates that now she can see a fantastic product and buy it immediately without any lengthy approval processes. Compared to viewing the products online, Andrea says the main benefit of the shop is being able to see the merchandise in the flesh, particularly the handmade pieces. The shop also allows her to connect with customers so she can make necessary changes. The clientele base is mixed but the shop seems to be catering for a lot of 40th birthday presents currently. Although Andrea enjoys being her own boss, there are some sacrifices to be made – like Sunday lunch down the pub with her friends and doing the shop cleaning! Andrea’s advice to anyone wanting to open up their own shop is; be prepared to work seven days a week and plan your finances very carefully.
This really is a great store to visit and Tufnell Park is an up-and-coming area with some interesting shops popping up. Future & Found is located at 116A Fortess Road, London NW5 2HL. Alternatively, view the website www.futureandfound.com where you can also buy products. The store is closed on Monday and opens on Tuesday / Wednesday 11-6, Thursday / Friday 11-6.30, Saturday 10-6 and Sunday 12-5. Credits: text by Homegirl London, images courtesy of Future & Found, special thanks to Andrea Bates.
