The Repair Shop’s Jay Blades to open furniture shop in Dorset

The 53-year-old presenter and furniture restorer found fame on the BBC restoration programme The Repair Shop – which sees members of the public take worn out family heirlooms to be restored by a team of experts.

Blades, who now lives in Ironbridge and has a workshop in Wolverhampton, founded an online furniture shop, from which he sells reclaimed and restored furniture and takes on specially commissioned projects, eight years ago.

Following the success of the business, and with encouragement from his collaborator and fellow business owner Steve Wyatt of Restored Retro, Blades will open the first physical Jay & Co store at The Dolphin Shopping Centre in Poole on March 13.

Blades said: “Restored Retro was our first stockist, we started selling our products through his shop nearly two years ago, and it has not only been fruitful for both parties, we have become good friends, our business values are aligned and it is the right fit for us.”

Jay & Co works with artists, fabric houses and other restorers to extend the life of unique furniture pieces. Its products are also stocked in a number of furniture shops across the UK.

The first Jay & Co store will open in the Kingland area of The Dolphin, which specifically houses homegrown independent businesses including Restored Retro.

The business, which uses a co-operative model to utilise the expertise of a variety of different craftspeople, also creates its own new collection pieces made from sustainable materials.

Ahead of the Jay & Co store opening, centre manager of The Dolphin, John Grinnell, said: “We’re thrilled to be welcoming Jay & Co to our dynamic line-up of retailers at Kingland, in partnership with Restored Retro.

“Seeing two successful independent businesses collaborating and joining forces demonstrates the supportive community we are building here in Poole.

“I’m excited to see Steve build on the great success he has achieved in the two years since he launched Restored Retro and to see Jay’s first store flourish.

“It makes us really proud that he has chosen Poole for this next venture and I’m certain it will be a year of growth and achievements for them both.”

Blades with the-then Prince of Wales during a special episode of The Repair Shop as part of the BBC’s centenary celebrations Wyatt said the venture is “a truly magnificent opportunity bringing together two great brands”, adding: “We just love mixing the Jay & Co reimagined range with our timeless restored pieces.”

Blades has starred in The Repair Shop since its launch in 2017.

Last year, he and his expert team met the King for a special episode of the programme as part of the BBC’s centenary celebrations.

In May 2022, Blades was made an MBE for his work in promoting heritage craft and restoration in the UK.