More than just a transaction

But before I tell you about how and when we’ll be open I’d like to take this chance to put down my gratitude and thanks to all of our customers and friends. 

When I closed the door behind me on Saturday 21st March I couldn’t see how we were going to survive a significant period of being closed.

In the subsequent weeks and months I have been humbled and blown away by your messages of support, your online orders and your visits when I have been at the shop. It has made me appreciate and realise how special Tonic is and what it means to people. It has reminded me how important bricks and mortar shop retail is. It is easy to forget this (and I have been guilty of this too) that shop retail is about so much more than the transaction, it is about community, it’s a place to go, a place to meet people, to share a story, to get things off your chest, to have a laugh, a place to feel comfortable and sometimes to purchase. 

However retail will almost certainly never be the same again. There is no escaping the fact that online retail is here to stay and has in fact been essential in the last 3 months. When Gary and I frantically photographed as much stock as possible to add to our online shop before we closed we didn’t know if we could sustain even a small online business but we have, and I have seen a positive future for Tonic that is a healthy combination of both. 

So…

1. As things stand we will be opening our doors on Wednesday 17th June
2. In the beginning we’ll be open 4 days a week Wednesday to Saturday
3. We’ll do everything we can to welcome you back and make you feel safe
4. We have added a click and collect feature to our website checkout so if you’re not ready to visit the shop to browse you can buy something and pick it up at a time that suits 
5. All UK online orders over £30 will be sent free of charge 
6. All local online orders will be delivered free of charge by hand and if your purchase is the wrong size or not quite right we’ll come and collect it.