02/01/2024
The post I never wanted to write, but after nearly 25 years in Ashbourne, Optimum will be closing at the end of this month.
In the 9 years that I’ve owned Optimum I have been incredibly lucky to have the most supportive landlords you could have wished for and now it is time for them to sell the building for their future as they have always planned to do. It had been my hope that with a really strong Christmas trading period behind me I might have been able to stay or relocate, unfortunately that just hasn’t been the case for me and I am so sad and so very sorry to say that we will be closing at the end of January.
It has been an incredibly emotional time and still doesn’t feel real but I want to say thank you to all of our amazing customers who have supported me, many of you who are now friends and who I will miss so very much.
To everyone who has worked in the shop over the years you have helped me more than you’ll ever know and I am forever grateful for your unwavering support. Liz, well what can I say, I hope you know what you mean to me and how thankful I am to you. Hilary, your genuine love for the shop has been the loveliest thing for me to see and I have loved spending this time with you. Mum and Bil, I really haven’t got the words to convey just what you’ve both done to support me and my little shop and all I can say is I love you both.
Finally thank you to Chris and Ang, who originally opened Optimum over 30 years ago in Derby, thank you for giving me the opportunity to run my own business and guiding me along the way, I’m just so sorry I couldn’t keep it going forever. You are the most incredible people who I’m lucky to have in my life.
Going forward we will be open from tomorrow with big reductions to clear the shop. For anyone who has a gift voucher with us you can still use them until we close at the end of January and after that you’ll be able to use them online as the website will remain. I really hope you’ll come in and help support us in the last few weeks, as I said before so many of you have become friends over the last 9 years and I’d love to see as many of you as possible before we close.
One last thing before I go, I’d just like to say that whilst this is incredibly sad, I really don’t want Optimum closing to be a negative reflection on Ashbourne. This is an amazing town with so much potential and lots of positive change ahead of it! There are fantastic shops here and if you are touched by this post then all I ask is you come in and use and support the wonderful businesses we have. We need to shout about how great this place really is!
Well, I think that’s quite enough from me for now. If you’ve stuck with me and read to the end then thank you! Hope to see you all over the next few weeks, Chloé xx
