Scooping the big win in our new location means so much.

Scooping the big win in our new home means so much.

With less than a year of trading in the idyllic town of Ilkley, and a learning curve of market segments, demand, and customer decision-making, Joshua Adams Menswear is delighted to scoop the award for ‘New Business of the Year’ at the Ilkley Business awards by Ilkley BID this particular award was sponsored by LFW Podiatry / Chiropody Ilkley.

The feedback on the night was, "A well-written entry from this two-outlet retail business. Displaying a strong strategy and clear direction, it ticks all the boxes of a new business to Ilkley.” As a business, this is what it’s all about, as everyone is well aware it’s a tough market out there with the cost-of-living crisis following covid and that’s a lot for any business to deal with. Taking the time to focus on business strategy and values during covid, with clarity on our business plan and the best team and resources to execute that has enabled us to grow as a business.

We launched our Ilkley store in March 2022 after the opportunity arose to take the unit on The Grove Promenade. Owners Stephanie and Ray could see instantly that their existing model would be the perfect fit for Ilkley. 

They already had an excellent knowledge of the area, understanding the demographics of future customers and competitors within the town, they followed this up with their own market research and insight by visiting the town to evaluate the existing excellent menswear offering and identified that Joshua Adams offering is a different concept which would complement the status quo.

A year on and the store has many regular casual and suiting customers, plus dozens of bookings for 2023 and 2024’s wedding seasons. In the Cleckheaton flagship store, a focal point of the business is weddings and the team prides itself on the care, quality, and attention to detail afforded to every individual customer throughout the whole process, whether they are hiring, buying, or enjoying the made-to-measure service.

The award ceremony was held at Craiglands Hotel in Ilkley and was an excellent opportunity to chat with other business owners and local residents to understand the dynamics of the community and enjoy a great night!