Jam Eton craft shop to close at the end of the month as owners retire

The owners of a business that has been at the heart of Eton High Street for more than 20 years are retiring at the end of this month. 

Jam Eton, a contemporary gallery and shop, first opened in 1994 as the smaller Eton Applied Arts.

It was set up by Jacqueline and Mike Turner as a way for Jacqueline, who was a potter, to sell her works.

Through her training at the Royal Academy of Arts she made friends who did ceramics and other arts so the couple expanded the business with a second shop across the road.

This was called Jam, which stands for jewellery and metal.

In 2001 the second shop closed, the original premises at 81 High Street was expanded and has been running as Jam Eton ever since, selling jewellery, ceramics, glass, homeware, textiles and wall art.

Now, 22 years after moving to Eton and living above the shop, Mike and Jacqueline are looking forward to retiring.

“We’re just going to do all these other things we were too busy to do before,” said Jacqueline.

“We are both quite sporty so we will be trying new things and I’d like to explore a bit more of the country.”

As a long-standing business in the town the owners have made many friends and have become familiar faces to shoppers in the High Street.

Jacqueline said despite being excited about moving on from the shop she thinks they will miss it once they leave.

“There have been a lot of changes over the year,” she said.

“It is a lovely street. There used to be a lot of antique shops here but there are now very few.

“There are a few chains but it is still mostly independents, which is nice.

“We’ve made a lot of friends and a lot of the customers have become friends.

“The community in Eton is fantastic.”

The shop will close its doors for good on Sunday, January 31.

All items in the shop are currently on sale. Visit www.jam-eton.co.uk.