At Applegate Properties, we’re proud to be estate agents in Holmfirth, surrounded by charming villages and a thriving local business community. This month, we’re excited to highlight Zebra Jewellery & Gifts, a long-standing shop located in the heart of Honley, where personal service and community involvement come together.
We had the pleasure of speaking with June, the owner of Zebra, to learn more about her business and the important role she plays in the village.
Zebra jewellery & Gifts was established in 1999 with June taking over in 2008. To change with the requirements within the village June started jewellery repairs, watch battery replacements and increasing the offering of gifts with lots more jewellery and watches.
Tell us about you and your team.
Prior to owning Zebra, I was a Sales Director in a multimillion pound company based in Halifax but after working my way up in the company over 24 years with tremendous stress, wanted a more relaxed living. I already owned and lived in the building where Zebra was located so fate played a part in my taking over the shop. However, my character meant I was bound to get involved with the village and she was a founding member of Honley Business Association (HBA). Formed in 2013 to promote the use of local businesses whether they are home, retail or based on a business park. Raising funds for CCTV and defibs throughout the village and giving back to the village with many events including Honley Together the Street Market along Church Street.
In 2012 my daughter Zoe began working in the shop, taking on more and more responsibility over the years and with her capable hands running the shop, I could step back. So, in 2020 I started enjoying travelling the world, a lifelong dream, while still helping with HBA and helping in the shop as I could.
The strap line for HBA is Stronger Together and to know the business owners are there to support each other is a massive comfort and something June is very proud to have developed in the village.
What makes you and your business unique? What are your specialties?
Zebra is not just a shop we are a hub in the village, selling tickets for Southgate Theatre, Raising funding for Friends of Honley Library , Managing and raising funding for defibrillators and CCTV, collecting subs for Honley Village Community Trust, we are also registered as a SAFE Place for anyone in the village feeling vulnerable to come in and so many other things. Many people just come in for a chat, some may be feeling isolated or just need a friendly face to talk to, we are always here for our community.
What is your biggest business achievement to date?
When I was working in Halifax I was in a very male dominated industry without any female sales managers. us women did all the hard work in the background without the acknowledgment. As I grew within the company, I forged my way through, proving at every step that women could achieve at least the same but in many cases better results than my male colleagues. By the time I reached Sales Director 40% of our sales managers were female and although it was a constant fight, I am so proud that I was a trail blazer for others to follow. However, the pressure in such an intense sales environment was so stressful after 24 years in the company with seven of those being a Director I was ready for a less stressful new challenge and Zebra came along just at the right time.
How long has your business been trading?
Zebra was established in 1999 by Mother and Daughter Helga and Kim, selling mostly titanium jewellery. However in 2008 Helga had a terrible accident breaking bones on both sides of her body which meant Zebra was going to close. This coincidently was when I wanted a change in career so asked Helga and Kim if they would train me in all things jewellery. I loved it and although the drop in income was frightening, I decided to take the leap. I have no regrets although still don’t earn anywhere near as much as I did working in sales for others lol but the stress is reduced so much I was glad I made the move, for my health if nothing else.
What is your favourite thing about living in Yorkshire?
Having travelled extensively around the country there is no better county than Yorkshire. We have it all in the right proportions, lovely village areas to live with house prices reasonable, although increasing too much, rural areas that mean you are never far from beautiful countryside walks, with scenery rarely matched elsewhere and only one hour from beautiful beaches if we want them.
When you are not at work where is the one place you love to visit?
As mentioned before I stepped back from running the shop full time in 2020 to travel more and have been to loads of countries around the world with some amazing trips. Stand out experiences are a Safari in Kenya with a Mother and baby elephant being so caring to one another it brought me to tears, visiting Angkor Wat in Cambodia to watch the sunrise above it, extraordinary building and my very favourite the island of Talang Talang off Sarawak, Borneo with over 60 huge Green and Hawksbill turtles burrowing their nests, laying hundreds of eggs, that I helped recover to go in the nursery and release over 500 baby turtles each evening increasing their chance of survival with only two of us alongside 2 rangers and a guide on the whole island it was a memory that I will always cherish.
Always looking at ways to enhance our offering, we recently have introduced “ashes into resin” so you can keep your loved ones close by, adding some of their ashes into a piece of jewellery be that a necklace, earrings or a ring. Alongside repairs and bespoke jewellery made in gold and silver Zebra have a great reputation of quality items at an affordable price so give us a try and I am sure you will become a regular.
You can find them here...
