Celebrating 25 Years In Nailsworth

Twenty-five years ago, we first opened our doors at 4 George Street, Nailsworth, taking over the premises from Selsley Farm Shop. We had been searching for the right location to join the town's long-established independent food shops, and the spot beside the river on George Street was perfect.

Before opening, we placed a single loaf of bread on a pillar in the illuminated shop window, sparking curiosity among locals. Was it an art gallery? A new shop? Little did anyone know how iconic that window would become over the next quarter of a century. Over the years, our team have transformed the window into winter wonderlands, back to school, easter bunnies, and everything in between. Our Christmas nativity window in 2024 even caught the attention of the BBC, earning us a feature on Have I Got News for You!

Back in 2001, Nailsworth was our third shop and was particularly close to home for Tom and Anna Herbert and their baby son Milo, who lived just up the hill in Horsley. In those early days, Tom would cycle down the hill each morning, switch on the coffee machine and fill the French bread rack with freshly baked loaves. Anna and Milo would join him later, with baby Milo often sleeping beneath the cake table.

Photo: Tom Herbert and baby Milo

The shop introduced several firsts for us at the time, including illy coffee and an open-plan café space that quickly became a place for customers to meet and chat. The upstairs café and wood-fired oven followed in later years.

As the shop grew, so did our team, with many colleagues becoming lifelong friends. Fee and Amanda have both worked at the shop now for more than 20 years and remain an important part of its story and have helped us shape the shop into what it is today. It's also been so lovely to see the team evolve over the years and to employ people from the local community, including those who had their very first Saturday jobs at Hobbs. Being part of those early work experiences and watching people grow in confidence and develop over time has been a really special part of the journey.

There have also been some lovely personal stories along the way. Henry Herbert, now our Sales Director, met his wife Jess when they were younger and Jess was working in the shop. It's been wonderful to see this come full circle, as they now run the Feast with Henry Herbert supper club together in our upstairs café, another way the shop continues to bring people together.

Photo: Long-standing team members Fee (centre) and Amanda (front right)

While much has changed, many familiar favourites remain the same. Williams Food Hall still across the road, the much-loved Hiker's Bar is still made using our family recipe, and the Sherston loaf still makes the best toast in the world! Our organic breads have always remained popular, while the growing enthusiasm for sourdough has seen increasing demand for loaves made using our 71-year-old rye sourdough starter.

Twenty-five years on, we feel incredibly lucky to have been part of life in Nailsworth for so long. From that first loaf in our window to all our wonderful customers, celebrations and familiar faces that have filled the shop over the year, it's been such a special journey.

We'd like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported us along the way. Whether you've been with us from the very beginning or have only just recently discovered us. Thank you for choosing to shop locally and sharing our love for real bread over the years. Here's to another twenty-five years in Nailsworth.