AN independent boutique has celebrated six successful months and a 300 per cent increase in sales.

Lavender Moon has seen its monthly turnover jump from £4,000 to £15,000 since opening in Poole's Kingland Crescent.

The boho country store moved from Old Town Poole in April 2024 after facing challenges with low footfall and lack of neighbouring retail.

Owner Bethany Holland put the growth in sales down to the community spirit of Poole’s busy independent heartland, and the growing popularity of country and western fashion in the UK.

She said: “I felt both excited and daunted by the prospect of moving store. The shop in Kingland is triple the size of where I previously operated from, so the scale-up did feel quite a leap.

"However, being in an established shopping district in Poole with higher footfall has been transformative for my business.

Owner Bethany Holland Owner Bethany Holland (Image: Liz Lean PR)“I’m so proud and relieved that just six months on, Lavender Moon is thriving like never before. I have been blown away by the response from the community.”

Lavender Moon sells country and western-inspired clothing such as authentic flares, Aztec jackets, and cowboy hats, as well as jewellery, crystals, and gifts.

Now with increased retail space, it has become Dorset’s first official stockist of Ariat Western, the world’s leading cowboy boot manufacturer.

Beth added: “I’m so proud and relieved that just six months on, Lavender Moon is thriving like never before. I have been blown away by the response from the community.”

Lavender Moon Lavender Moon (Image: Liz Lean PR)Poole’s Kingland Crescent was regenerated in 2020 as part of an ambitious and unique initiative by Legal & General. The initiative has provided opportunities and financial support for some of the county’s most innovative entrepreneurs.

Legal & General was the first to create an initiative of this kind in the country and partnered with organisations such as Nest pensions to fund the regeneration project.

The Poole district is home to around 130,000 Nest members, making local people everyday investors into the Kingland regeneration scheme.

Beth said: “I’m hugely grateful for the support from my landlord, Legal & General, and its partners such as Nest, that have helped to make Kingland the vibrant and dynamic high street it is today.”