We say...
The Zebra ‘Story’ :
What else do Mums do except drink coffee and chat?!! Well we certainly did plenty of that but with the growing realisation that we both had a passion to set up a family centred business with a difference. After a year of much discussion and plenty more coffee, we decided to combine our extensive professional experience in architecture and project management , as well as our personal experience as mums to 5 wonderful children (5 between us and not each!) to design and create ZEBRA. We finally opened the doors to our Muswell Hill shop on Nov 9th 2009.
Most people ask “why Zebra?”
Many ceramic cafes are called the Painted Pot or Paint A Pot or something else along the ‘pot’ line……with a lot of pinks and flowery patterns on their walls….During the design phase, we wanted to create an image that was striking, contemporary and memorable, that appealed to both young and old and would suit a mixed male and female customer base. We also wanted to be different to other painting cafes and create a ‘brand’ that could be developed in the future for other shops and products. The Zebra image met all our criteria as it seems to be loved by all and further supports our tagline ‘uniquely yours’ .
Did you know that Zebra is in itself unique due to their stripes never being the same? Each piece of pottery that leaves Zebra Ceramics is unique as it is totally hand-painted and/ or proudly displays the hands and feet of the most gorgeous babies. We always aim to get 5 toes on each foot looking good enough to eat and trust us many places will settle for only 3!!
We took the plunge at the end of 2009 to open the business and have been delighted to see it go from strength to strength. It is amazing how relaxed our customers are after a good painting session – paint therapy you could call it! There is also nothing better than giving someone a present that has been thought about and is unique for them. Mums and Dads love to capture the ‘uniqueness’ of their new baby, grandparents can’t get enough of their wonderful creations and children of any age enjoy the painting and transformation of their piece into a shiny wonder of art!
The Zebra ‘Vision and Values’
Having put so much effort into designing the right name, environment and products for Zebra, we want to be recognised as the brand that delivers only the best, whether that be by capturing the perfect prints on ceramic, clay or silver or by helping each and every customer to enjoy their experience in the shop. It’s not easy, but that’s what we strive to do!
Zebra stands for quality, memories and fun. For us, it’s pretty black and white!
We value the families we meet on a day to day basis, which is why we have chosen ‘ Care For The Family’ as the charity we support. We all know how at times family life can be great but sometimes it can be a real struggle. We want to help in some small way to support their work as they seek to offer resources to families in loving and creative ways. For more information see www.careforthefamily.org.uk
