The owner of the independent high street retailer Jules B has explained the reasons behind the business’s decision to close its Kendal stores.
Julian Blades, the co-owner and co-founder of Jules B – alongside his wife Rhona – put the decision to close their Menswear and Ladieswear stores down to several major factors.
“The world of retail is changing rapidly,” explained Mr Blades.
“And with the challenging economic climate, and the sharp rise in operating and labour costs, we have made the difficult decision to focus on growing our online business.”
He said by focusing on their online business, this would allow Jules B to offer customers 'the quality and service our customers expect'.
Nevertheless, Mr Blades said he and the business would not rule out Jules B returning to Kendal in some form once again at some point in the future.
He said: “We hope that, when the economy improves, we’ll once again be able to serve the good people of Kendal.
“In the meantime, we are truly grateful for the friendship and support the town has shown us.”
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The owner described the difficulty of having to part ways with staff members who had been working in the Kendal stores, calling them 'almost like family'.
“We would especially like to thank our wonderful staff for their loyalty, professionalism, and commitment,” said Mr Blades.
Jules B has had a retail presence in Kendal for over two decades and celebrated their 40th birthday as a business only last year, with celebrations even taking place at the Kendal stores.
However, the Jules B Menswear and Ladieswear stores opposite each other at 42-44 Finkle Street, and 2-6 Stramongate, closed their doors to customers earlier this week.
Staff could be seen on Monday (November 3) packing clothes into boxes, as closure statements were displayed on the windows of both stores.
Mr Blades called Kendal a 'vibrant and welcoming community' and thanked customers for their support over the years.
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