On Tuesday 19th October, Leeds’ newest boutique shopping arcade and the vintage retail unit that everyone has been talking about will hold its Official Launch Soiree.
From 12.30pm on Tuesday afternoon until the early hours of Wednesday morning, the Bird’s Yard will host a series of fabulous events as part of Leeds Loves Shopping and to celebrate and share the recent successes of Bird’s Yard.
‘Something Old, Something New’
2:00pm – 9:00pm
at Bird’s Yard, 83 Kirkgate, Leeds LS2 7DJ
Visit the treasure-trove of joy that is Birds Yard on Kirkgate: Three eclectic floors filled to the brim with fabulous finds, from hand-picked vintage clothing from across the decades to antique furniture and hand-etched leather.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=149202658451447
‘Burning Yard’
2:00pm – 9:00pm (with a special surprise at 6.30pm)
at Bird’s Yard, 83 Kirkgate, Leeds LS2 7DJ
Hosted by Beating Arts and guest artists, watch a Selection of West Yorkshire’s finest graffiti artists, street artists, tattoists, and illustrators as they create live art. Assembly Square – directly accessible from Bird’s Yard – houses four large viaducts which will be graffitied, drawn and painted on – roll on Post Apocolyptia. The square boasts space for DJ’s, boards, a drink tent and seating. Join us for music, live bands, drinks and live art! Please contact Beating Arts for more details.
http://www.thebeatingarts.com/
http://www.sapphictraffic.co.uk/
http://www.bad-fotography.co.uk/
Bird’s Yard Official Launch Soiree
9.00pm (Tues) – 3am (Wed am)
at The Loft, Cross York Street, Leeds
Join the Bird’s Yard team and friends across the road at The Loft for an evening of celebratory drinks, dancing and music, with DJs Craig Bratley (Instruments of Rapture), Dave Martin (Technique), and Gavron providing the soundtrack for the evening. http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=119352448122935
The Bird’s Yard Story
Bird’s Yard was set up by Michelle Walton (Bird Shell) earlier this year, but the journey towards its launch began much earlier.
Inspired at a young age by a lack of money and a desire to not look the same as everyone else, she began to seek out alternative fashions, vintage clothing, unusual trinkets and clothes from charity shops and jumble sales. Michelle recalls being slightly ashamed of her second hand clothes as a youngster – how the tables have turned!
In 2007, she sold her house and opened up Bird Shell boutique in Trinity Arcade. Knowing it would be demolished but wanting to test the market anyway, her move was brave, but showed early signs of commercial acumen as the popularity of vintage clothing and accessories was already on the rise.
Despite having little in the way of a marketing or advertising budget, the shop at Trinity Arcade was a great success, with stylists and wardrobe assistants traveling up from London to find dresses for TV awards and for the cast of Emmerdale.
When Trinity was demolished, however, Michelle decided at that point that running a shop on her own was a rather lonely job and a huge financial responsibility, so she took a break from retailing to return to her old job in employee relations.
Two years on and she was yearning to return to vintage fashion retail. Realising that her heart was there, she embarked upon her mission to open a vintage arcade, where many independent artists, designers retailers could work together, pool their resources and have an outlet for the sale of their creative products. On July 31st 2010, Bird’s Yard was opened.
Bird’s Yard has already been shortlisted for Best Newcomer and Best Customer Service at the Leeds Retail Therapy Awards 2010.
The story of Bird’s Yard stands as an inspiration to anyone who has a dream and a passion, and shows how dedication and a lot of hard work can eventually lead to a successful business. It was Michelle’s personal drive and passion, coupled with her experience gained from her time at Trinity, led to her pulling together the fantastic team of people who work at Bird’s Yard today.
- New Retro (young fashion)
- Pixie Dust (Hull based, reworked vintage)
- Life’s Big Canvas (quirky jewellery and trinkets)
- Beth Hirst Couture Hats
- Ringlit (reworked vintage)
- Smokey Rag (London based designer of mens and ladies t-shirts)
- Stay Retro (retro nic nacs from pottery to sock toys)
- Ages of Elegance (customised lingerie)
- Kitsch In (Kitsch wear and aprons)
- Zinc White (salvage landfill jewellery makers, typewriter key cufflinks and pencil rings)
- Emily Finn (contemporary designs using leather and beads)
- Wildheart (intricate small bead work items, pretty butterfly necklaces)
- Perfectly Imperfect jewellery (mainly pretty silver and stone pieces)
- Kee Boutique (very dainty and pretty ladies reworked vintage and accessories)
- Beating Arts (two sisters that specialise in art and fashion, ie hand etched leather cuffs, customised skate boards and graffiti art
- Butterfly Attic (mannequins and vintage/retro furniture, decoupage ranges)
- Ruby Soho boutique (customised orders by burlesque performer, Daisy Cutter)
- Factory 4 (group of 5 local creatives who share the Factory4 workshop space, ranges include large prints and unusual handmade bowler hats
- Re:Chord (specialist record/media shop offering vinyl to CD service and the sale of local band CDs)
- Space (a collective from Harrogate that sells vintage trinkets)
If you haven’t done already, visit Bird’s Yard on Tuesday 19th September and join them in their celebrations!
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