Retailer Spotlight – Annie Jude’s, Hillsborough, Sheffield

Annie Jude’s, Hillsborough, Sheffield

Introducing the second blog post in our ‘Meet the Retailer series’! Where we invite you to join us on a virtual tour of the wonderful shops that we supply. We’ll introduce you to our extraordinary retailers, uncover their stories, and delve into the hidden gems that adorn their shelves.
This time, we’ll be getting to know one of our brilliant Sheffield retailers, Annie Jude’s in Hillsborough.

Can you tell us your name and a bit about yourself?
I’m Faith, owner of Annie Jude’s. I’m Sheffield born and bred and have lived in Hillsborough
for over 10 years now with my husband Pete. I’m a Mummy to Alfred and Lucy who are 8 and
I love cross stitching, eating out, spending time with my friends and dyeing my hair lots of
different colours. I’m very passionate about supporting small and independent businesses.

Can you tell us a little bit about the history and background of your shop, and how you got
started in the business?
I’ve always wanted to own my own business and saw it as something to aim for in the future.
During the pandemic I started up my old passion of cross stitching and began selling pieces I
had made, then eventually kits and tshirts under the business name Cross Stitch Goddess. I
met so many amazing and creative people making and selling things from their home, using
the horrible situation they were in for something good. In January 2021 my Mum, and only
parent, Judith Anne Baxter, was very unexpectedly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and
after a horrendous couple of months, where she deteriorated quicker than any of us could
have possibly imagined, we lost her. Before she passed she gave me some money and even
said, ‘you can have your business now, maybe you can sell your cross stitch’. The beginnings
of Annie Jude’s really stemmed from my grief. I poured all my love into the shop and it was
the perfect way to make my horrible situation into something good, just like all those makers
did. I named it Annie Jude’s after my Mum.

What is the philosophy or mission behind your shop, and how do you see your shop evolving
in the years ahead?
The philosophy behind Annie Jude’s is ‘shop small, support local’. Everything we stock in the
shop is handmade or small businesses. I have attempted to have something for everyone,
and with over 150 businesses stocked I think we are on our way to achieving that. It’s really
important to me to be a valuable part of the community I love so much so we also hold
workshops and events in the shop. I hope that we will continue to grow with more makers
and new exciting products, I would love to eventually move to an even bigger premises locally too.

Your shop is an absolute treasure trove, packed with so many different kinds of products and
all of them the highest quality. How do you go about finding new makers and products to
stock your shelves?
When I first opened the shop I contacted a lot of the businesses I had met over social media
and got them involved. As time has gone on the shop has grown, sometimes I contact people
but mostly they contact me and if the product is good and doesn’t overlap with others in the
store too much we get them in. I’m always on the lookout for new people to join Annie
Jude’s. We are so lucky to have so many talented people in our community and beyond. I do
find it very hard saying no to people though, that’s my least favourite part.

We love fiery food at Khoo’s Hot Sauce. How hot do you like it? Could you let us know your
favourite spicy meal?
We are big spice lovers in my house and add it to most meals we eat. Ramen, pasta, curry,
chicken thighs, sandwiches… I could go on and on, I love food! Our favourite khoo sauces at
home are ‘Life’s a peach’, ‘Northern Beacon’ and ‘Plum Breakfast’ . We can’t have a sausage
sandwich without it now.

How do you think the Sheffield food scene compares to other cities in the UK, and what sets it apart?
I think what sets Sheffield apart not only in their food scene but also independent shops, venues,
music, events etc is their passion. Sheffield people are the most fiercely passionate people I know.
So proud of their city and all that it holds. I just love Sheffield.

If one of our readers from outside of your area was to make the journey to visit your shop,
are there any other local attractions that you could recommend to make the perfect daytrip
out of a visit to Annie Jude’s?
Absolutely! Hillsborough is really having a resurgence at the moment and I am so proud to be
part of it. There are two wonderful parks, Rivelin and Hillsborough Park, which has recently
seen the addition of Depot Bakery’s Coach House. On my little part of Middlewood Road
there are several amazing businesses to visit including Molly’s Cafe Deli, Pangolin Craft Beer,
Orange Bird Restaurant and not forgetting my neighbours Delightful Touch Cafe.

Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions, and show our readers what makes your wonderful shop so special!