Eleven years, three shops, one independent brand

We both had “proper” grown-up jobs in banking, but after our first son was born, we knew we wanted something more. So, with £5,000 and a leap of faith, we opened Lighthouse Lane on Haworth’s Main Street — starting small with Katie's own artwork, homemade lampshades and a very small selection of independent products .

When the shop next door came up for rent — about five times the size of our first shop. We took another leap and moved in, although in truth we barely had enough stock or shop fittings to fill it at first! Slowly, we made it our own, expanded what we sold and started creating and printing more of our own designs.

Skipton felt like the natural next step — close to home, full of potential and a great fit for us. Taking on a five-year lease with higher rent and rates was daunting, but we knew we’d always wonder “what if?” if we didn’t give it a go. It was a challenge, but seeing Lighthouse Lane grow into a second town made it all worthwhile.

One day out for scones somehow turned into us popping into a local agent to ask about an empty shop — and before we knew it, we’d signed another lease! This time in the beautiful spa town of Harrogate. Shop number three was a bigger challenge, being further from home, but we knew that with a bit of hard work we could make Lighthouse Lane feel at home there too.

Ten years after opening our first shop, Northerner® officially became a registered trademark. Our clothing range had grown into one of the most popular parts of the shops, and we’ve loved putting more and more energy into developing it into a brand of its own.

Eleven years later, Lighthouse Lane has grown to three Yorkshire shops and our own Northerner® clothing brand. We still design much of what we sell, work with brilliant independent artists and makers, and remain completely hands-on. With over 9,000 Etsy sales, nearly 1,400 Etsy reviews and a 4.94/5 rating on our website, we’re incredibly proud of how far our little Haworth shop has come.

We can’t wait to see where the next chapter takes us — and we’d love to have you along for the journey.

Katie & Howard x