The beloved Kitchen Kave in Bury St Edmunds is closing, but the owner plans to reopen as a greengrocer after renovations
Bury St Edmunds: It’s a bit of a bummer, but Kitchen Kave is closing its doors after over 13 years. The family-run kitchenware shop on Brentgovel Street is having a big sale right now, with everything at half price.
Owner Jay Palfrey is feeling a mix of sadness and excitement. He’s planning to transform the shop into a greengrocer after a little makeover. The sale will wrap up at the end of February, and then the shop will close for about a month.
Jay mentioned that a few things led to this decision. A new alleyway next to the post office has really affected foot traffic, dropping sales by around 40%. People are now taking a shortcut instead of walking past the store.
Plus, folks are spending less these days, focusing more on essentials rather than gifts. Rising business costs have also hit hard, especially for independent shops like his.
After the sale, Jay hopes to get the necessary permissions from the council to switch to selling fresh produce. He’s got a bit of history with fruits and veggies, having sold them when he was younger.
He’s also thinking about adding coffee beans to the mix. His son, Charly, mentioned they’ll keep their market stall going, selling gardenware and Christmas items too. The name might stay as Kitchen Kave, but that’s still up in the air.
