Jake is on song as Music Vault continues to expand
Passionate musician Jake Taylor is hitting all the right notes in Wellington after growing his business from a small market stall.
Jake first launched Music Vault, a guitar and music accessories business, on Wellington Market in 2016.
Now seven years on and thanks to support from Telford & Wrekin Council’s Pride in Our High Street programme, he’s delighted to have opened a new high street shop on Crown Street which is his biggest move yet.
Initially, Jake was supported with his move to Crown Street through a Pride in Our High Street business start-up grant.
But as Music Vault continued to grow quickly, Jake applied for a further diversification grant so he could move to bigger premises on the same street, sell other instruments such as keyboards and violins and branch out into e-commerce later this year.
He also plans to sell more accessories and create a workshop, enabling him to offer a repair service from his new base at 7, Crown Street which has been empty for 12 years.
Jake, of Wellington, said: “From where Music Vault all started on Wellington Market I couldn’t have expected it to go quite as well as it has.
“It was a small business to start with but I’d always wanted to run my own shop in Wellington which is my home town.
“I’ve had a couple of units on the high street since I expanded from my market stall but the business start-up grant helped me to set up on Crown Street and now the diversification grant is a massive boost because it means I've been able to make the move to an even bigger unit.
“Extra space gives me the opportunity to stock other instruments and accessories to sell, not just guitars, offer a wider music service to customers and build a store room with a packing area for online orders which is an area I really want to capitalise on.”
High street businesses of all types can benefit from the diversification grant which ranges from £500 to £4,000.
The grant can help businesses to pay for training in a new practical or technical skill that will either help them branch out into other areas or make them more resilient.
Funding can also help businesses to introduce new product lines to gain sales and purchase new equipment which supports the continued operation of the business.
It can also be used to provide marketing collateral including improved signage and packaging or cover advertising and promotion costs.
In addition, Jake has also received an eco grant through Pride in Our High Street which is a further boost to his expansion plans.
The eco grant of up to £500 for businesses supports energy saving and environmentally-friendly initiatives and encourages high street businesses to adopt a greener approach.
The grant has helped Jake to insulate and add partition walls to the Crown Street unit, install internal security grilles on the windows and door to protect his instruments and install LED lighting, smart heating and smart sockets to save energy in his new unit.
Jake said: “Insulation work and new LED lighting will help me to reduce energy costs in what is a bigger unit so the eco grant is helping me to put these measures in place.
“I’m really grateful for this funding which has helped me to make the next step up and take my business to where I want it to go.
“Music has always been a big part of my life and I’m pleased to be able to work in an environment which I enjoy.
“Although setting up my own business seemed a bit of a gamble at first I’m glad I made that choice. Life’s too short and my advice to others is to follow your passion and go for it.”
Councillor Lee Carter (Lab), Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for place (the economy & neighbourhood services), said: “Jake is an asset to the high street and we are really pleased to have supported him on his business journey.
“The diversification grant has helped Jake move to a bigger premises where he can increase his product and service offer while the eco grant is supporting him with energy saving measures in what is a bigger space to heat and light.
“Jake has proved that with the right attitude and financial support, a small business venture which started out as a market-stall can grow into a much bigger business which has a permanent presence on the high street.”
