Stone’s High Street is about to become home to Mo’s Deli & Cider Store following the retirement of the owners of CJ’s.
Based on the corner of the arcade, next to B&M, Maureen explained to A Little Bit of Stone about what we can expect to see when she opens up in the coming weeks.
“The newest shop in Town – – yes, something new in town is always intriguing isn’t it? – There should be something to please everybody’s taste buds with my planned initial stock of gourmet foods and drinks. I have a great passion for home baking too, home cooking and high-quality artisan foods and drinks – as visitors will see when they pay a visit. It really is ‘Mo’s Pantry’ – as everything in it – I have carefully picked and I like. I have good knowledge of the stock I intend to have, which I feel is very important.”
Initially, Maureen will be flying solo however she hopes in the near future to be recruiting two regular part-time assistants who can marry a passion for good food with excellent customer service skills.
Maureen goes on to tell us:
“Mo’s Deli & Cider Store truly is my dream job. Its a pity it’s taken me till I’m 50+ to get on with it, but if I hadn’t done the previous work and jobs, then I wouldn’t be as well placed as I am today to take the venture forward.
As it stands I now have the skills, knowledge experience and professional qualifications that will all have a part in making the shop a success. More importantly though – I have a genuine interest in the products I’ll be selling. I have already worked for many years for the main suppliers who will be filling my shelves. So I have a good deal of knowledge about those products already – and it will be my absolute pleasure to be selling them now from my very own premises.”
Maureen has spent the past few years travelling all over the country, working independently as a food and drink demonstrator, representing many manufacturers. A job that took her to some of the top and finest food outlets in the UK.
Adding to this Maureen explains:
“I have worked on markets and at busy shows like the Staffs County show, Stones very own food and drink festival, Leek market. Some of the other places I have worked at are Selfridges in London, Bents in Warrington, Chatsworth, many of the Booths stores in the North West, Waitrose, John Lewis in Manchester. I have also visited and worked in a huge amount of farm shops, wine houses, pubs, breweries, vineyards and delis too, again locally and countrywide.”
With a number of retail units vacant in the High Street Maureen told us what drew her to the CJ’s unit.
“Currently you will know it as CJ’s Curiosity shop which is located on the High Street next to B & M. It was a complete chance I was there the day I saw it and noticed the signs saying shop for rent. I had a quick look inside and knew instantly that this was the place for me to have my very own shop. Literally – it took me seconds to decide.
The style of the building its located in – its actual frontage to the High Street, and the added footfall to the car park and market place events – its ideal. Why Stone? – well – I visit here often socially to eat out, I shop here I even went on holiday here this year! – We hired a canal boat from Stone Canal Cruising. I even almost moved house to here last year. Looks like I now will do after all.
I take over the lease on 1st of November from Calvin and Janet Prigmore who are both looking forward to their retirement and I wish them both a long and happy retirement. The shop will have to have various alterations and adaptions to make it suitable for a food and drink outlet. So it will be closed for a short while as the work gets underway. Meanwhile – I’m selecting various products that I want to stock – I’m in for an incredibly busy month as you can imagine. I don’t have a date in mind to open as it’s so reliant upon the tradespeople I have employed. However, I definitely hope to be up and trading in time for the Stone’s Christmas Light switch-on event on 21st November.”
Maureen says that Mo’s Deli and Cider Store will be about taste, quality and service.
“There will be products of the week on tasting, so pop along and try them. You will be made very welcome, and you will be served face to face, given advice on your products should you require it, given a bag if you need one, and served by a real friendly person and not a machine. So do please keep an eye on the place for its opening day whenever that is. It will, of course, be on social media.”
Mo’s Deli and Cider Store will be open daily from 9.30am to 5pm Tuesday to Saturday, closed Sunday and Mondays. he opening times and days will be tried and tested to see what works best. Maureen is keen to fit in and serve the town as it requires.
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