The Homewood Bound Story

When Hazel Roberts decided to set up Homewood Bound Collections in April 1999 she knew that it was going to be a long road ahead. Her dream to convert a large barn nestled in an idealistic setting next to The Old Railway Station, Rhewl, in the beautiful Vale of Clwyd quickly became a reality. Starting off on a very small scale and budget, inviting friends and relatives to view her hand-picked collection, she set about her plan to offer a tempting range of delightful furniture, vintage treasures, lovingly restored pieces including larder cupboards, chest of drawers, tables and dressers, chairs, kitchenalia and sought after antiques.

In the early days juggling family life and work was an on-going balancing act. Being close to the family home and mainly with the help of her husband John (her rock); who took early retirement in 2004 the business was able to go from strength to strength. Many couples could not tolerate working together day in, day out and being together twenty four hours a day, but that special magic seemed to do the trick. Hazel and John hand-sanded every piece that came into the workshop and travelled far and wide to source unusual and original pieces for the shop. Hand painting, repair and restoration went on late into the evening. All deliveries were done at night by the pair, initially in an old black wooden horsebox, keeping costs to a minimum because of family commitments.

They didn’t spend too much on advertising, it was purely by word of mouth that the business grew and the Homewood Bound secret was spreading. The shop was only open at weekends as weekdays were taken up searching for new pieces and all restoration work etc. was being undertaken. Customers came from far and wide and deliveries as far as London, Cardiff and Newcastle were made.

Today Homewood Bound Collections employs five staff. To Hazel and John the staff are irreplaceable, their talent, support, enthusiasm and team spirit (above and beyond) play a great part in what has made the business what it is today, the staff work tirelessly behind the scenes.

Born in Manchester, Hazel’s strong passion for style and colour coupled with a clever eye for highly desirable furniture has been an asset. She puts that mainly down to her lovely upbringing, worldwide travel experiences and family business background.  John and Hazel work closely with other local businesses and strongly believe that keeping trade local is a crucial factor. Hazel is a keen member of the Ruthin Tourism Group.