Shropshire Carpet Business Commemorates 100 Years of Operation

The proprietors of a carpet establishment in Shropshire are marking a century in business. A. Evans and Son, situated on Shrewsbury’s Wyle Cop amidst contemporary bars, bakeries, and other retail outlets, is celebrating this significant milestone. Initially founded by Alfred Evans, the business remained within the family for generations before its acquisition three years ago by the current owner, Simon Edwards. Mr. Edwards informed the BBC, stating, “All of the Evans family have looked after their customers so well over the years, and we’re obviously trying to keep that going.” In addition to crediting the family’s enduring legacy for the shop’s success, Mr. Edwards also emphasized the importance of its location. According to Shrewsbury’s Business Improvement District, Wyle Cop is believed to be the United Kingdom’s longest continuous stretch of independent businesses. The consistency extends to the staff, with Mr. Edwards still employing Jim, a carpet fitter who worked for the previous owner for 40 years. “Because Jim’s been working for the shop for so long, he’s requested by customers when we come in. They insist that we send Jim along,” he stated. Mr. Edwards further commented, “It’s very important to keep businesses like this going, not just because of the 100 years, but because it’s a personal service.” He remarked, “We’ve tried to keep everything as consistent as we can.” “Obviously prices have slightly gone up, but that’s out of our hands,” he noted. Thanks to its established history, the shop serves multiple generations of families as customers. He recounted, “Just the other week we had a young lady in, and she informed me that her grandparents had carpets from here, her mother had carpets from here and now she’s back here getting carpets.” “Her grandchildren will be coming here as well, hopefully,” he expressed. Although the official 100th anniversary occurred on 1 May, Mr. Edwards had decided early on that celebrations would take place towards the end of the year. Every Saturday in December, the shop will extend its operating hours from 13:00 to 20:00 GMT, inviting patrons to enjoy refreshments and discover more about the business. He elaborated, “It’s about consistency really – looking after customers, keeping in contact with them, listening to customers, keeping them informed and just being there for them.” “It’s a local shop, owned by local people, so it’s just really important. I just hope we’re here in another 100 years,” he concluded. For further information, BBC Shropshire can be followed on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external sites. Details concerning our external linking policy are available.