St Albans' Fold of Chairs owner on early business success

A Fold of Chairs has been operating at 3b London Road since November last year, and offers a collection of furniture, art and ceramics from the 20th century, as well as the opportunity for customers to observe the furniture's restoration and upholstery.

Caroline described the inspiration for the business and how residents have reacted to its presence in recent months.

The exterior of A Fold of Chairs, on London Road. (Image: Caroline Hoggarth)

"I've always been interested in design and architecture", the mother of four began.

"The story is that my husband had inherited a pair of 1960s egg chairs from his grandparents, who had obviously saved up a lot of money to have them.

"They were really shot to pieces, so I looked around to find an upholsterer and its really expensive.

Caroline's upholstery takes place upstairs at the store. (Image: Pearce Bates)

"I thought 'you know what, I'll do a course. I'll learn how to do them and it'll be a new skill'.

"On the first day of the course, we were just doing drop-in seats. It was really simple and I was like 'oh my god, I love it'.

A range of furniture pieces and ornaments can be found inside the store. (Image: Pearce Bates)

"I did a three-year course in traditional upholstery but actually what I ended up loving was the modern stuff.

"So, we started collecting for ourselves and I would do it up, and it sort of progressed.

Caroline described how many of her chairs are investments that are likely to go up in value. (Image: Pearce Bates)

"That was 16 years ago now. I was not intending to open a business, I worked in marketing for kids TV.

"It wasn't something I was intending to do, but I cannot tell you how much I love it!"

Caroline began her company online four years ago, and progressed into a physical store for the first time last year.

Ornaments such as classic typewriters and stereos can be found inside the store. (Image: Pearce Bates)

The 43-year-old continued: "Before the lockdown, I worked on doing this online and then during lockdown it just went mad. Everyone was buying furniture.

"However, I do think you need to sit in a chair if you're going to buy it, and people were coming to my house to sit in the chairs and it wasn't really working very well.

"I was constantly having to tidy up to get people to come round.

Caroline praised the interesting people that she has met since opening her store. (Image: Pearce Bates)

"So, I thought 'let's see if it would work in St Albans'. I really didn't know, there's not really anything like it in St Albans is there?

"Honestly, the response since then has been unbelievable. I'm really lucky, it's been great.

"I've met so many interesting people. People that come in and tell me what they do for a living, or tell me about the art and the furniture they have.

"That's been the best bit of it I think, meeting all these people.

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"Now, I'm like 'how do I get all of these people together'. They're all in the St Albans area, there's all these creative people.

"I'd love to do some events to try and get them together, because I'm having a great time meeting them so they all need to meet each other."

Caroline now hopes to arrange events that will bring St Albans residents together. (Image: Pearce Bates)

Further information about A Fold of Chairs can be found at www.hoggarthstudio.com