In this series of blog posts, we will be chatting to some of our stockists about what makes shopping independent so special.

Can you introduce yourselves and your store and tell everyone a little about how ÒR came to be?

I'm Jennifer Carter Pearson and I'm the founder of two stores in Portree on the Isle of Skye called Òr (Gaelic for Gold). Our first store on Wentworth Street opened up in June 2016, and initially it was just me and a small team. Our focus then was on showcasing my own jewellery and a small collection of Scottish craft and artwork. I wanted to create a space that differed to others in town, as well as a place that both locals and visitors to Skye would enjoy. In June 2018 we opened our second shop, a bigger space on The Green and although we now have a team of ten we still feel both shops offer customers an intimate and relaxed experience. Having a second store has allowed us to expand our makers and we now stock a wider selection - our focus is on hand crafted items, that we source locally, as well as from across Scotland and further afield.

Can you give me some highlights of running your store?

There's so many! Developing long term relationships with our makers (such as Roake!) is a major highlight, as well as the really lovely feedback we often get from our customers. It's lovely to have customers who visit Skye come back in for a visit when they return to the island.
We love to collaborate with artists and designers on bespoke pieces of art & craft inspired by Skye especially for Òr - seeing these limited edition pieces in our stores is always a delight!

How would you describe your brand in 3 words?

Quality - Curated - Collaboration

What do you look for when searching for products to stock in the store?

We like to source unique, hand crafted quality items. We love that our customers have an opportunity to buy products that aren't widely available in other shops.

What are your future plans for your store?

Our online store is imminent! We are finalising it all now, which has been keeping us busy - and we are very excited about how this platform will allow us to continue to evolve.

Find Òr on Instagram or drop in when you’re next visiting the beautiful Island of Skye!

Meet the Stockist - ÒR