Baby shop ‘is back home’
THE owner of a popular children’s clothing shop in Greenock is celebrating being back ‘home’ after a burst pipe flooded the premises nine months ago.
Chris Jewell, the proprietor of Cradle Care, admits the return is tinged with sadness as his beloved wife Sandra is not by his side after sadly passing away following a battle with cancer.
Chris said: “It’s just not the same without her.”
THE owner and staff of a popular children’s clothing shop in Greenock are celebrating being back ‘home’ after a burst pipe flooded the premises nine months ago.
Chris Jewell, proprietor of Cradle Care, is relieved the business is back in its rightful place at 93 West Blackhall Street after a lengthy period of disruption.
But the return is tinged with sadness as his beloved wife Sandra is not here to see it after she sadly passed away following a brave battle against cancer.
Chris said: “The staff are very happy indeed to be back home in bright new surroundings.
“The only thing missing is my wife and co-owner Sandra, who sadly passed away at the beginning of September.
“She would have loved to be back with us. Having worked there for the past 27 years, this place was a real labour of love for her.”
Local staff who were customers then friends while working alongside Sandra say that she is sorely missed.
Gillian Goldie, who served alongside her for more than 20 years, said: “We all started as customers and came to know Sandra well.
“That’s how we first met her, coming in with our children to shop.
“We all miss her terribly. “She is a huge loss.” Everyone has been pulling together to keep the business going and Sandra and Chris’s son Christopher stepped up during Covid-19 by maintaining its presence online and helping to promote the shop’s return to its former base.
Gillian said: “This reopening is for Sandra as well, she was a beautiful person.
“She owned the shop for 27 years and her customers always came back. She was a friend to all who came through the doors.”
A picture of Sandra now takes pride of place on the reopened shop’s counter.
Janine Demelas, who worked with Sandra for two years but had known her for many before, said: “She was simply the nicest person.
“We’ll never get another Sandra.”
Mr Jewell told the Tele that it took a major effort to dry out the shop following the flood, which was caused by a burst pipe in a flat above.
He said: “At its worst point, the water reached almost three feet in the basement.
“Following extensive process, we received a certificate of dryness then the whole shop and basement had to be restored and redecorated.
“We love being back in the shop, what’s missing is Sandra. She just loved being here, serving all the mums and their babies.
“She loved chatting with customers and their children and did so much to ensure that every customer was tended to.
“Never for a minute did we think that when we moved out the shop she wouldn’t be here to see it re-open.
“She was getting treatment when the flood happened but she was still up and about and kept saying she was looking forward to coming back.”
It has been a traumatic few months for Chris and his family and their first Christmas without Sandra will be a difficult time for all of the family.
He said: “My granddaughter Alyssa misses her nan terribly. Sandra was her confidante and she says wherever we sit down to Christmas dinner, we will set an extra place.”
Chris is pictured above with Gillian.