Select a region
Too often we have heard the story of local hospitality businesses going on the market due to inflating rent, rising costs and importation difficulties – but with The Merchants, a thriving cafe and community hub which recently went on sale, that is thankfully not the case.
James Grant has instead decided to find a new owner for his business because it is rapidly blossoming and needs a “fresh pair of eyes” to help realise the space’s full potential.
That, and the trained photographer said he wants to return to doing what he does best: photography.
While he opened The Merchants with a partner in May 2022, that partner left the project shortly afterwards. His focus was meant to be the art and the coffee (which is supplied by Dark Arts Coffee), but it soon became the shop floor – and the entire business.
"It was actually really beneficial, because that gave me full freedom to really experiment with what worked and what didn't work," he said.
"I loved what I did as a photographer, and when I opened this, it was mentally an extension of that career, but I feel like this has totally consumed me. While I'm so grateful for that, I'm ready to return to the love of my life, content that this is doing its own thing now.
"It needs someone behind it to keep it moving forward all the time, and it is only in the past six or nine months that I have realised I want it to keep evolving and getting bigger and better. Fresh eyes, fresh passion, and a fresh skillset will help it reach that whole other level, and I decided it was time to investigate that."
Pictured: The Merchants is a popular spot on Beresford Street.
Since starting out as a community-focused coffee shop and gallery which showcases art, photography, and music, The Merchants has attracted all sorts of new collaborations and uses.
Now the popular spot on Beresford Street works with the School of Popular Music to give budding musicians – or those venturing back into music – an opportunity to perform; it hosts weekly club meetings for activities from sketching to cross-stitch; a group of teenagers meet there every Tuesday to discuss video games; and more than 20 local DJs come to play vinyl.
He said there are discussions about bringing book clubs to the space and even starting coffee classes and workshops for caffeine enthusiasts.
Pictured: James said that the informal gig space can serve as an important stepping stone for musicians wanting to get into other venues in Jersey.
In fact, James said there has been around 100 collaborations in the past year – a lot of these happening naturally through contacts and friends and conversations.
"None of those elements were planned, and I feel like I have done everything and more with this business that I set out to do," he said. "The goal was always to create somewhere for people who didn't have that space to share their skills and celebrate their passion with others. If this doesn't continue, where's that going to exist? There are different locations that have a more formal approach, but we have more simple and casual things.
"I would like to see just more of it. More music, more art."
Pictured: minimum wage increases mean the prices The Merchants has to charge will increase.
Coming off the back of the pandemic, James said the two-and-a-half years running The Merchants have not been without their difficulties.
With rental rates deciding the shape of St Helier and rising costs causing uncertainty, some businesses have said enough is enough.
James is insistent that those factors are not behind his decision to sell – but they do come with the price tag, and are the perfect challenge for the right person.
"Any business owner in the hospitality sector who says it's easy is not telling the truth," James explained. "You've got to want it and be passionate about it. You've got to wear a lot of different hats.
"It was so difficult at the beginning to get people to break their routine, come in and understand our mission. We were maybe too soon for the community in year one, but within year two it has just flourished. But that took us so much work to increase our footfall."
The Merchants has not only increased its footfall, but it has doubled that number from its first to its second year.
"I feel really proud that we've managed to do that, but everything has inflated. It is difficult, especially with the minimum wage."
Jersey's minimum wage is set to increase to £13 per hour next year in the first step towards transitioning to a living wage by 2026.
The Government this week announced that £20 million of support will be put in place to help employers and employees adapt to the increase over the next two years.
James said: "Those sorts of increases inevitably affect the prices that we have to charge. Although it's fantastic for the community, there could be a little bit more consideration given to the smaller businesses.
"There is also the struggle with importing. I have very much tried to embrace local produce when it comes to our food and alcohol, but when it comes to coffee, tea, chai, oat milk, all of that, I wanted to bring something new to the industry. That's become more difficult over the past two years.
"But you have to figure these things out. You adapt. You change. You evolve. If that product is now inflated so much, then what's the other option? How can we adjust that to compensate for the other financial pressures? It's hard, but it's so much fun to adapt to the situation, to keep it stable and keep it growing."
Pictured: James hopes The Merchants can continue to blossom under new ownership.
He said that while that footfall has doubled, there are still people who come in for the first time, and he is confident that the number can increase further.
And autumn is the perfect time to achieve that, he said, explaining: "It seemed like the right time to put it out there and hopefully find the right person to come in at the beginning of the season. When the weather gets colder and town is busier, and people are looking for something to do, somewhere to go, it's a really exciting time for us."
He continued: "What's important for me is not the neon sign, but the idea behind it, and as long as it continues its journey in flourishing with the community and being that hub for people to explore and learn and share and appreciate what everyone's skills are, the it's an exciting opportunity for the shop and for the right person."
James said that "at the end of the day" he's "just a photographer" and he plans to remain in Jersey while returning to portraiture and fashion photography.
The sale information provides this description: "The Merchants Limited business is already well-established and profitable with significant scope to further expand and diversify.
"All existing supplier relationships, customer base, fitout, fixtures and fittings and state of the art high end specialty coffee equipment are offered as part of any onward transaction."
Anyone interested in becoming the new owner of The Merchants should contact lucy@queree.je.
Merchants of coffee... merchants of music... and much much more
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.