Trade Talks Tuesday: Give The Dog A Bone on Humour, Curation and What Makes Independent Retail Different

Since 2003, Give The Dog A Bone has built a distinctive place in York's independent retail scene by doing something simple but difficult to replicate: stocking products with personality.

Known for its eclectic mix of cards and gifts, the shop combines humour, pop culture, design and a strong sense of fun — all under the fitting tagline "geeky, chic-y, and a little bit cheeky!"

For this edition of Trade Talks Tuesday, we spoke with Cat Armitage, Buyer at Give The Dog A Bone, about how independent shops can react quickly to changing tastes, what makes a new product stand out, why physical retail still creates a different kind of experience, and what suppliers need to get right before approaching a buyer.

About Give The Dog A Bone

Give The Dog A Bone is an independent gift and card shop based in York, established in 2003. Its eclectic product mix spans greeting cards, gifts, pop culture, humour and design-led products chosen to feel distinctive from the traditional high street.

The store has built a loyal following around personality, discovery and products designed to make customers smile.

Buyer: Cat Armitage
Website: https://www.givethedogabone.co.uk/

Give The Dog A Bone has been part of York's independent retail scene since 2003. What do you think has kept the shop relevant as both retail and customer tastes have changed?

I think smaller shops are better placed to pick up on trends and respond to them quickly because we get very immediate, direct feedback from customers.

We curate our stock based on what we enjoy personally, and we're no more immune to changes in fashion than our customers are.

That ability to react quickly and keep evolving has definitely helped us stay relevant.

Your shop is known for gifts and cards that are a little different from what customers might find on the traditional high street. When you're sourcing, what makes you think, "We have to stock this"?

It's so hard to narrow it down to one thing because we're known for being quite eclectic.

It has to delight me or make me laugh. I like snarky, irreverent humour and pretty things, but I also have a healthy love of pop culture.

I guess that's how we ended up with our tagline: "geeky, chic-y, and a little bit cheeky!"

Humour and personality are a big part of your product mix. Do you think customers are increasingly looking for gifts that create an emotional reaction rather than simply being useful or beautiful?

Absolutely

It's such a good feeling when you know something will be absolutely perfect for a friend or loved one.

You discover products in lots of different ways today — from trade shows and recommendations to social media and online. Where do you find the brands that genuinely excite you, and what role do trade shows still play in your buying journey?

We find things everywhere!

I enjoy trade shows for more general browsing because you can spot trends and take inspiration from the incredible displays.

Online is best for specific ordering, when you know what you want but not necessarily where to find it.

I probably use social media the least because it's simply too distracting to use during working hours!

With customers able to find almost anything online, what do you think makes them still want to browse and buy from an independent gift shop?

Websites might offer easy sofa shopping, but they can also encourage mindless browsing and lack the personal touch.

A physical shop allows you to make more intentional purchases and to engage socially.

People like to come into Give The Dog A Bone, read all the cards and laugh together, or chat to a staff member who shares the same niche interest as them.

I've had so many customers tell me over the years that when they're feeling down, they come into the shop to cheer themselves up, which is lovely to hear.

When a new supplier approaches you, what makes them stand out for the right reasons — and what's most likely to make you think their brand isn't right for the shop?

It affects how a product is displayed in store and can influence how customers perceive its value.

Having a distinctive, recognisable brand identity is also really important.

Lastly, I want our customers to be excited about what we offer, so

If you could give one piece of advice to an independent gift or greeting card brand hoping to be stocked by Give The Dog A Bone, what would it be

Often I get sent an initial contact email, but there's no information about pricing, quantities or order minimums.

Recently, I was contacted by a new supplier who included her catalogue and price list straight away, and I'd placed an order within half an hour of the email hitting my inbox.

Making it easy for the buyer to understand the offer can make a huge difference.

Key Takeaways

• Independent retailers can react quickly. Direct customer feedback allows smaller shops to respond to trends faster than many larger chains.

• Personality matters. Products that create joy, humour or a strong emotional reaction are central to Give The Dog A Bone's buying decisions.

• Trade shows remain useful for discovery. They offer inspiration, trend spotting and a broader view of what is happening across the market.

• Physical retail creates social value. Customers come not only to buy, but to browse, laugh, talk and discover products with other people.

• Packaging influences perception. Good packaging supports merchandising and can directly affect how valuable a product feels.

• Distinctiveness is essential. Independent retailers need products that give customers a reason to choose them over bigger chains.

• Make buying easy. Pricing, order minimums, quantities and catalogues should be included from the first approach wherever possible.

Give The Dog A Bone shows how powerful a clear retail personality can be. Its success is not built around chasing one particular category, but around understanding what makes customers stop, smile and feel that they have discovered something they wouldn't find everywhere else.

For suppliers, Cat's advice is equally practical: be distinctive, think about how your product will look in store, and give the buyer everything they need to make a decision quickly.

Want to Reach More Retail Buyers?

Looking to put your brand in front of independent retailers like the ones featured in Trade Talks Tuesday?

Email events@xpofairs.com to book a demo and discover how The Gift Fair UK helps brands connect with qualified buyers all year round.