Glasgow's newest wedding venue on Sauchiehall Street is ‘hidden gem’ from city's past

After months of research, and many hours at the nearby Mitchell Library, the two women traced its story back to 1903 and found it had been a grocer’s, a stationery business, a lighting showroom and, for more than 50 years, a women’s ­tailor’s and haberdashery.

“It’s a hidden gem,” says Nikki.

“It’s so sad it has been abandoned for so long. It’s taken longer than we thought to bring the space back up to its former glory, but it has been worth the wait, and the effort. We spent a week brushing the stonework alone – there was so much dust.

“We want to respect the space and maintain its charm, while giving an old building a fresh perspective.”

In a nod to its distinguished past, Nikki and Afton are reopening the building as The Haberdashery, a stunning new wedding venue.

Nikki Fairfull and Afton Ferguson

The multi-purpose event space, which has lain vacant for more than six years, opens its doors this week, and with a backlog of ­Covid-delayed weddings across the city, it is already taking bookings for this summer.

Named in honour of the tailor’s which operated in the building for more than five decades from 1923, The Haberdashery is the first venture by event planner Afton and Nikki, who has left a career in the property sector to launch the business.

Nikki came across the venue for their dream business while searching online classified ad website Gumtree.

Inside The Haberdashery

She said: “I fell in love the moment I walked in – there was so much natural light and it was much more grand than I expected, with its traditional cornicing,

marble pillars and exposed

brick. It just felt so romantic.

“Now, the space is what I always thought it could be. It’s a dream come true. I know how many people are struggling to book wedding venues right now so we hope we can provide the perfect blank canvas to those people straight away.

“Within a few years, we believe this will be one of the most popular wedding venues in Glasgow.”

She adds: “Previously the building was an eyesore for the local community. As soon as we removed the graffitied boards and fixed the broken windows, we received so much positive feedback. We’re proud to be adding value to the local area.”

In January, it was revealed by Glasgow City Council that 37 stores were lying empty on Sauchiehall Street due to “major changes in retailing”.

Following the announcement of the departure of Marks & Spencer from Sauchiehall Street, which will close its doors for the final time this week after 100 years trading in that spot, Stuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce called for “coordinated intervention” to reverse Sauchiehall Street’s decline.

Nikki hopes the revitalised venue, which has been empty since a Christopher Wray lighting showroom closed down in 2016, can help spark a new era for Sauchiehall Street.

The businesswoman has lived in Seville, Madrid and Barcelona, but has always been drawn back to Glasgow.

She said: “I take so much inspiration from all the cities I’ve lived in. Barcelona in particular has so many spaces for art exhibitions and creative spaces. Glasgow deserves more of them.

“So much has been said about the decline of the city centre, but we just have to think about the city centre and its surrounding areas differently.

“Glasgow will always be a great shopping city, but we want to be part of a movement of businesses who are attracting people back to the city centre in other ways.

“We can give an old building a new young perspective – it’s time for Glasgow to let the next generation bring their ideas to the ­table and bring the city back to life, ­especially after the last two years.

“The Haberdashery can be an anchor venue that helps to re-invigorate Sauchiehall Street.”

Afton believes the pair have created “a fully flexible space that will allow creative people to be creative.”

She added: “There are so many innovative people in Glasgow with so many ideas.

READ MORE: Story of 60s crooner Frankie and the Easterhouse gangs turned into a play

“Our mission is to provide a space for them to make their vision come true, whether that is their wedding, their art or their brand.”

Sauchiehall Street was once a grand street full to glamorous stores, dance halls and cinemas.

Sauchiehall Street was one of Glasgow’s grandest streets in the early decades of the 20th century, with many tailors and dressmakers making it their business home.

Just along the road from The Haberdashery stood W R Grieve Ltd, a couture dress maker, mantle maker and silk mercer.

Some of the items once manufactured and sold there, including blouses, skirts, hats and purses, are held in Glasgow Life’s Museums Collection.