Our Shops over 50 years!
This is the third post in our series counting down to Bill Baber’s 50th anniversary on 26th May 2027. Read the first post, 50 Years of Customer Stories, the second post What hasn’t changed in 50 years and follow along each month as we share more of our story.
The Shops Behind the Name
A visual journey through nearly 50 years of Bill Baber, from the West Port in Edinburgh to Bristol, York and the Edinburgh Grassmarket home we’ve had ever since.
What’s in a name? In our case, quite a lot of history! Before Bill Baber Knitwear became Bill Baber Knitwear, we traded under two other names, ran shops in three cities, and had a car driven through our front window! The Grassmarket shop in Edinburgh’s Old Town that you’ll find today is the centre of all of it, but the road here had a few unexpected turns.
Where it began: Nwamaka at Freshly Pict at 78 West Port, Edinburgh
Our business started in Edinburgh in 1977 at 78 West Port in Edinburgh, trading as ‘Nwamaka at Freshly Pict‘. Sadly we have no pictures of the shop and our adverts were simply made up by hand on a type writer! We shared the space with our friend Jenny who ran her business named Moony alongside ours. But our instinct was exactly the same: quality yarn, original design and colour you wouldn’t find anywhere else.
Our first move: Sheepish Looks at 9 West Port, Edinburgh
Sheepish Looks in the West Port
In 1980 we changed locations, still within the West Port, but a different address. We also changed our name to Sheepish Looks!
Our lease at Nwamaka was months away from ending and we had nowhere to go. By an incredible piece of luck Bill was walking down the road and saw a bloke at number 9 West Port moving wardrobes out of the then antiques showroom. Bill stopped him and asked if he was the owner of the shop and whether he was moving out? “Yes and right now!”
As Bill says “I came up with a figure on the spot and John agreed. No lease, no lawyer, just good faith and a handshake. That lease lasted for six years.”
A second name and a second city, Sheepish Looks in Bristol
A very young Jack sitting in front of the empty Bristol storefront!
By the early 1980s, now trading as Sheepish Looks, we had opened a second location in Bristol, and for the best part of a decade it was a significant part of the business. These photographs span the Bristol years, from 1982 to 1989, and between them there were quite a few stories. First up (above) you can see a very young Jack sitting upon the steps of what would become our Bristol store and below a photo of the final shop:
Bristol storefront in it’s heyday
We chose Bristol as it struck us as very similar to Edinburgh, a network city, a student city and a tourist city. Edinburgh in the south we thought! Over the years we had three managers of the store, Louise, Yasha and Shona and having the two stores was a great experience.
But perhaps the most surprising day of all was this one:
A car crashes into our Bristol store in 1989!
In 1989 a car came through the front of the Bristol shop. We’re pleased to report that everyone was unharmed and that the shop reopened. It remains one of the more memorable chapters in the Bill Baber story, and proof that independent retail requires a certain resilience!
From Sheepish Looks to Bill Baber Knitwear at 66 Grassmarket, Edinburgh
Sheepish Looks in the Grassmarket 1987
In December 1986 we moved our Edinburgh store from the West Port to 66 Grassmarket. Then in 1989 that we changed to a new name: Bill Baber Knitwear, the name that has been above the door ever since! We’d been using the Bill Baber Knitwear name for wholesale customers and it made sense to switch to that for our Edinburgh store too and rebrand completely.
Bill and Helen outside the Grassmarket store in the mid 90’s
The previous tenant at 66 Grassmarket (by coincidence another antiques dealer), was leaving. We applied to take on a new lease in his place but were rejected in favour of someone else. But by some incredible miracle the other occupier fell through and would we were offered the chance to take on the building? We said we would, but a lot of work needed to be done. We think the refurbishment ended up costing three times as much money as we had thought!
Our Edinburgh Grassmarket Workshop in 2014
When we moved in the Grassmarket Workshop did not look at all the same as it does these 40 years later. There was an old trapdoor in the middle of the shop floor that had to be safely closed and tiled over. For some reason there were also a huge number of broken bottles down there that had to be removed! Stairs had to be built down to the basement and upstairs to the back rooms – before that there was a terrifying old wooden ladder that was being used.
Our team gathers to celebrate our 40th anniversary in 2016!
The entire back room was an earthen floor that was covered, a wall had to be rebuilt and a mezzanine was installed. Our basement was wet underfoot (probably from whatever was in the broken bottles!). Initially we had to wear wellies when we went downstairs so they drained everything and put damp proofing and proper flooring in.
Our 3rd city, Bill Baber Knitwear in the Micklegate, York
York, before and after Jack’s renovation!
In 2010 we opened a shop in York, a city with it’s own strong independent retail tradition and a natural fit for us. Jack was living and working in Yorkshire and was interested in joining our business. He opened the store on the Micklegate, the Royal Entrance to the city, and it was a great learning experience for what life in our family knitwear business would entail. In 2013 he closed the York store, when he and his wife decided to move back up to Scotland, and he now runs the wholesale and ecommerce arms of Bill Baber Knitwear. A long way from the step in Bristol 30 years earlier!
A Royal visit, the late Queen and Duke of Edinburgh drive past our York shop in April 2012
Where we are now
Our Grassmarket Workshop in August 2026
When we first moved in the Grassmarket wasn’t one of the most desirable areas of the city, in fact the Old Town really wasn’t what it is today. But the city was keen to get fresh businesses in to improve it and over the years we have tried our best to build a strong community.
And so in August 2026 we are still based at 66 Grassmarket. As we approach our birthday in May 2027 we will be celebrating 50 years since Freshly Pict first opened its doors in Edinburgh! The same city, the same commitment to knitwear but a different name on the sign.
Five decades, five shops, three names, three cities, countless jumpers and one proud family business!
If you’ve visited us over the decades, as Nwamaka at Freshly Pict, as Sheepish Looks or as Bill Baber Knitwear, we’d love to know! Leave a comment below or find us on Facebook or Instagram and tell us which era you remember best! We’d love to see any pictures from our history that you might have! Email us at info@billbaber.com with your pictures!
This is the third post in our series counting down to Bill Baber’s 50th anniversary on 26th May 2027. Read the first post, 50 Years of Customer Stories, the second post, What hasn’t changed in 50 years and follow along each month as we share more of our story.