The beautiful displays and immaculate presentation of Snook’s Gift Boutique makes it impossible to walk through The Arcade without slowing your pace or turning your head! Amanda’s attention to detail and enthusiasm for design and beauty shines through her business at every level. ‘I’m big on window displays, and over the years it’s been interesting to hear that regardless of whether someone has visited our business, they still know who we are from our window displays.’
Step inside and you’ll find yourself completely immersed – exploring and admiring every nook and cranny of the immaculately dressed, shabby-chic shelves, full of beautiful keepsakes and trinkets, cards for every occasion and characterful soft toys.
Photo by Peter Flude
I’m quite ‘arty-farty’! I like interior design, and that’s the fun part for me – making the shop look nice is what I enjoy most.
Amanda started to stock gift items especially aimed at women at her salon and noticed a real interest in that market.
‘You can only go so far with nails and beauty, and there are only so many hours in the day. So, initially it was a means to create extra revenue. I started out with handbags, accessories, scarves, and things that would catch a woman’s eye, to help the sales – and of course, it did.’
Putting her heart into her business isn’t just reflected in the aesthetics of Snook’s, the name and branding also hold a very special meaning for Amanda.
‘Snook was my mum’s pet name for me, and after she passed away in 2014, I asked my designer to take my mum’s handwriting from the last Christmas card she sent me, which forms the ‘Snook’s’ part of the gift tag of the design, as well as my grandfather’s and father’s handwriting for the ‘gift’ and ‘boutique’ elements of the logo.’
Snook’s sell well-known and local brands such as Katie Loxton, Joma Jewellery, Wrendale, and Jelly Cat Soft Toys. ‘We’re able to offer quality products at an affordable price, and our local customers want to support independent businesses more, so you really need to push yourself to make sure you’re out there, and people know about you. Our greeting cards line receives positive feedback, and it’s great that I can display our cards outside the front of the shop for people to browse.’
Photo by by Peter Flude
Amanda’s customers are not just tourists, but local residents as well, ‘I do stock items that are personalised, and Bognor Regis related gifts – I learn every day what our customers want.’
We hope that Amanda keeps sharing her vision with Bognor Regis and feel very fortunate to have such a fantastic role model within our indie business community. We encourage you to pop into Snook’s and support this fantastic local business, where you’ll discover the perfect gift and or keepsake.
