The Henley Larder origin story.
One of those slightly w***y phrases used a lot now when talking about a companies start. But I have always liked the word origin so I’m going to use it all the same!
A short introduction to where we started for those that might be new followers, hello there and to more established followers, thank you.
The Henley Larder was born in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. The town I, Zoë, the owner of the Larder grew up in. The picture above is me at one of my first Henley Royal Regattas.
Henley in the eighties and nineties was a wonderful place to grow up, holding on to some old fashioned charm & tradition, where artists of all kinds roamed alongside the business folks slowly trickling in on the commuter belt all relatively harmonious. Oodles of pubs and restaurants all well frequented with price points to suit a variety of pockets. Henley Regatta was at its peak, less monetising, more fun. Dawsons Creek style Summers by the river, working my first job in a local bakery & then wonderful Woolworths, small town times at its best.
When I moved back there in 2019 with husband Andre and Oli dog I couldn’t find the kind of independent food offers I had come to know and love elsewhere. Running my own independent food shop had long been a dream of mine, right back to my days of watching the independents in Henley as a child. Lawlors Bakery, Allens, The Eight of Harts, Bobs Farm shop – to name just a few. My mother Rosalind Cooper is an esteemed wine writer and my father was a passionate chef so food and drink always played a central role at home.
I had spent my years away from town studying in London and New York with great dreams of being an actor, some of which were realised and others dashed. With those dreams came cliched jobs to keep the wolf from the door in customers service and hospitality. And my job history is certainly varied from reception at a dog grooming salon in Brooklyn, to managing a wonderful teashop in Shad Thames, years on the box office at The Albert Hall or head of reservations at a hot spot restaurant in Manhattan. I learnt so much from them all – and indeed the many not listed!
I spent several years working with my brother and sister in law running a roaming restaurant and event catering business ‘Chateau Marmot’ – we became known for our Modern European tasting menus and use of local produce. A residency we ran in Brixton, London ran for 8 months to packed tables – a very special part of my career. We actually returned a few times to Henley for a Regatta pop up, twice catering British Polo day and a lovely couple of pop ups at the River & Rowing museum – that was lots of fun.
It was through those jobs and connections and experiences that I further developed my passion for the food industry.
Both to celebrate what wonderful food we have easily in reach and the joy in their processes but also the importance to our economy of eating local, British made produce.
The pandemic soon kicked in and instead of choosing to press pause I hit go, go, go and got to planning and creating and making contacts, doing a business plan, getting funding and drawing up my original list of food and drink producers. I secured the most dreamy little shop in a part of town I have always loved, off the beaten track are words I would come to hear a lot but I adored it. Two wonderful builder friends helped me realise the design dream that two more lovely friends from LAMP Productions helped me concoct. It was coming together nicely.
And the name? Well I was convinced I was going to call it ‘Henley-on-Toast’ for a long time, I was heavily deterred and I’m glad of it now – though you might know I got my wish eventually having a café of that name. I have always loved the word and concept of a Larder – we had one in our Victorian childhood home – a dark and cool room but I can so clearly visualise it, the perfect hide and seek hiding spot. It felt right to have that Henley associated word. And let's be real – it has a lovely ring to it!
I always knew I wanted to promote small made, British food and drink after so many years learning from some of the greatest chefs and working in event management and pop up restaurants that focused heavily on provenance and quality of produce.
The Henley area is packed with great makers so it wasn’t long until I had a fantastic curation to open with and so I did in October 2020, just before the second lockdown. Some called me crazy but I will forever stand by my decision and in many ways that strange time was a great way to establish myself. A time when there was a true movement of appreciating local business, where your food came from, cooking – remember the endless banana bread making and curiosity of all kinds was in abundance.
The sense of community was at an all time high.
A ribbon was cut by the mayor and a small crowd of family & friends stood the designated metre apart to cheer me on. My husband shed a tear, possibly with relief that the lead up to opening was over. It was a truly magical moment. Not without some sadness as my father, who had a chronic condition was unable to be amongst a crowd even at distance so couldn’t attend – a zoom tour was of course made!
I then of course got the dreaded virus myself which put a huge dampener on the glow of my opening and I will tell you many a frustrated tear was shed. Thankfully I was back to it before long with huge thanks to marvellous Mel, my original staff member and various friends for their support, even cleaning the shop top to bottom as was a requirement then. All quite surreal.
Wearing masks and limiting numbers of customers into my tiny little Larder was all part of the experience – we even had queues!
I got to know my customers and this community so familiar but also so new in a way I am certain wouldn’t have been the same if the world had been open or ‘normal’.
It’s hard to really describe what it was like to be the person behind the counter during this strange time as it was so disarming and so wonderful all wrapped up into one.
It was an odd feeling as the town opened up to see peoples faces for the first time in some cases after knowing them so well in many ways.
And so The Henley Larder came to be and there are many tales to tell of its’ journey so far and dreams of its future only grow each day and I shall share it all!