Two sisters who grew up in Findhorn and worked at the local shop have realised their dream of buying it, as a silent investor comes forward to help.
Following the news that current owners David and Jan Hoyle were retiring, local sisters Dawn and Alisha Payne set up a GoFundMe page to raise £100,000 to by the shop and stock with the aim of taking it over as a going concern, running it with the same core values and ethics.
Not long into the campaign, a silent investor came forward and stumped up a significant amount of money to help them along the way.
They revised their crowdfunding target and yesterday announced that they will become the new owners of the popular village shop from 1 March.
The Bakehouse will now close for a few days of stocktaking before they re-open as the outlet’s new owners.
New ownership
Alisha said: “We are absolutely thrilled and somewhat overwhelmed to have reached this milestone.
“Last night, it truly sank in that The Bakehouse Market is becoming a reality under our ownership.
“Firstly, we’d like to express our heartfelt gratitude to David, Jan, and Sebastian for their dedication in providing such amazing services, resources and opportunities to the community and ourselves over the years. They have created a beloved hub in Findhorn village, and we are honoured to carry the torch forward.”
The silent benefactor, who is not disclosing the amount of the investment has close ties to Findhorn village and they said they want to see shops like the Bakehouse thrive. Their contribution, as well as the sisters’ own finances and fund from the campaign have now brought this project to fruition.
Dawn added: “The support from our community has been remarkable. From ongoing encouragement and mentorship to generous donations on our GoFundMe (which is still running), we’re deeply thankful for every kind word and contribution. It’s your unwavering support that has kept us going throughout this journey.
Learning experience
They wanted to give a special special shout-out to their silent investor and mentor.
“This process has been a tremendous learning experience, and they have kept us on track every step of the way. Their support has been invaluable, keeping us grounded even when things got a bit tricky,” Dawn added.
Alisha concluded: “We also want to express our deepest gratitude to The Bakehouse employees. Their commitment and support have been invaluable, and we look forward to working closely with them as we embark on this exciting chapter.
David said: “We give them our heartfelt wishes for success. Inevitably there will be changes, but the core values being passed on with most of the team continuing to work under the new ownership.”
They hope to announce an opening date within the next week.
See also: Findhorn sisters are set on taking over Bakehouse Market
Hurray!
Well done all of those, past and present, who have contributed towards the safeguarding and ongoing support of this important local food project.
Long may it continue and may all who serve and benefit from it prosper and thrive!
So proud of these girls !! Keep shopping local and volunteer to work and be shop keeper.
These are some of the biggest challenges in business.
Awesome 😎
Well done ladies!!