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QF Focus Magazine
Pat focuses on the faces behind our Local Businesses Jackie Pugh – The Card and Gift Shop Quesada
After living all her life in Chester and running a guest house there, Jackie and her husband Ken were fed up in England and decided they wanted a change and new challenge, so they headed for Spain.
They both intended to get jobs when they arrived, and Jackie was offered a job in Gama, but first they thought they would do a lot more research on Spain and its laws with regards to working. Jackie realised that to buy a simple English birthday card she had to travel a fair way to the only shop she could find that sold them, and after speaking to a few other people who all said the same thing, she decided to look at a few of the spare units in Quesada to see if it was possible to start her own business. That was 16 years ago, way before the petrol station and lots of the other businesses were there, and so Jackie and Ken took the plunge and bought one of the units. After a lot of very hard work, the shop was opened in 2003. It was a very nervous time for them, as by this time they had sold their house in England and used the money not just to buy the unit, but also a small apartment to live in. Just over 2 years ago the shop was extended, making a huge difference to the business, as there is now more room for their 'special occasion' items as well as the all year round goods that they sell. A large amount of their work now, apart from the cards and gifts, is doing photos and passports. Passport applications have changed a lot over the past few years and as they are now done online it is
very difficult for a lot of older people as many of them do not have computers, printers or even the internet, so this is a vital service for many. Jackie has also had an internet activated credit/ debit card facility installed to make it easier to do payments. They still have their daily postal service for UK and Worldwide, and customers can now buy their cards, write them and post them all in one go as a table and chairs have now been set up in the shop for them to use for this purpose. Jackie buys second hand books only from charity shops so she helps the charity, and the money from books that are donated also goes to charity.
The shop supports the Poppy Appeal every year and often donates vouchers for raffle prizes for local charities. 4 years ago, Jackie opened a Barber's Shop in Quesada after clients commented that there were only hairdressers in the area, so although she doesn't actually work there, the Cutting Room is also her 'baby'!
Jackie takes great pleasure in providing a community shop for local residents and loves how her life in Spain with Ken has turned out. See advert below right for information on one of the many services, and the contact details, of The Card and Gift Shop.
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