Folkestone Harbour, a popular seaside destination and hub for independent food and drink brands in Kent, has entered the world of retail with its first-ever, permanent, standalone retail space.
Independent boutique retailer Gaia, known for its unique handcrafted furniture and aspirational homewares, becomes the first permanent retailer to occupy space alongside the Harbour’s buzzing food, drink and leisure community.
Gaia is a Kent-based, female-founded enterprise with stores in Folkestone and Westerham, which resonates with the independent and quality-driven ethos of the Harbour’s traders.
Gaia co-founder Alex Vouzoukos-Field, a self-taught furniture maker, brings her unique creative vision and craftsmanship to the forefront.
Alexs said: “Being a part of Folkestone Marketplace for the past two years has been really great. There’s a family here and we’re all supportive of each other.
“Gaia Studio is going to be a place where you can come and read, sit, enjoy, make… oh, and drink fantastic coffee!
“We’ve created the Gaia brand coffee, which suits our whole ethos too. We want to make everything ourselves so that consumers always know the origins of the items they buy.”
Paulo Kingston-Correia, general manager of Folkestone Harbour & Seafront Development Company, said: “The integration of retail with our vibrant food and drink and socialising offer reflects our commitment to supporting local independent businesses, as well as offering our visitors an innovative, distinctive leisure experience.
“We know that consumers are looking for carefully curated, blended leisure and retail experiences, which provide a memorable day out.
“This is just the first of several exciting new attractions and events that we have in the pipeline for 2024.”
