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The Beginning

Writer's picture: Claire ReidClaire Reid

Updated: Nov 8, 2022

Hello and welcome to what is an exciting new chapter in Alba the Art Shop’s Life. There are so many things we would love to catch you up on, whilst diving into the future of our little shop, so come along on our journey!


So first and foremost I would like to welcome all readers to our NEW BLOG!! A place where people near and far can hear about what is going on in Oban and at Alba. You can find our regular blog posts on our Facebook page with a link to our new website(which I will dive into later). We want people/Albaers(our loving followers) to know what events we will be showcasing in our shop and on our websites that cater to everyone's needs, to showcase all the new things we are constantly getting in.


In this blog series, I will be starting to tell you all a little bit about our history, we will introduce our fantastic team who serve customers each and every day with a smile and I will navigate our brand new website and finally, give a yearly summary of what's to come for all you Albaers.


So where did it all begin? Well before I dive into our history I think I should introduce our shop to all those who have never heard of us. We are Alba the Art shop, a small triple shop located on the west coast of Scotland in a quaint town called Oban or as many may know it as the Gateway to the Ixsles. We specialise in mostly Cards, Picture framing, Art supplies and high-quality gifts while living up to our beautiful Gaelic name ‘Alba’, translation to 'Scotland' as many of our products are Scottish-themed or created by many well-known Scottish artists.


So our Beginning, Our boss Graham Fraser bought over the two-room shop in the year 2000, where he stocked cards, and gifts. His little business was thriving so he decided to rent the shop next to him, this then meant he could stock more gifts, a fabulous mug wall and quality standard art supplies. As an expanding business Graham had gained lots of knowledge about owning and operating a business. Fast forward almost three years and Graham decided that the two shops he had weren't enough and decide he would knock down the wall splitting them and turn them into the main shop we have today, but that's not all, Graham also decided to rent the shop next to the main shop, this shop was to become the Frame shop, which frames personal pictures and also the prints we stock to an exceptionally high standard, alongside handpainted tiles, sculptures and pottery. For the last 18 years, Graham has had both shops working in harmony with one another, offering their services to the locals and the tourists of Oban. However another expansion was on the horizon for Alba as Graham took the leap in 2020 when the neighbouring shop was up for the taking, and in undertaking this third shop he resurrected a local Delicatessen that had sadly shut down a few years earlier. This triplet of shops created a cascade of Alba's Journey and secured Alba’s place in the history of Oban.


So now that you know a little bit about Alba and our history, it's time to get down to business.


In the past, we have had a few different ways for our customers to shop, however, we've never had it all in one place, so here it is our brand new website built from scratch to give our customers the best shopping experience. Alba prides itself on great quality customer service and we've tried our best to show that on our website.


Whether you are looking for a Scottish artist's print, birthday cards or that very special present we have it all. Our website is still in the process of adding the grand extent of the products we hold in our shop, which will take some time so please bare with us as we are creating an exclusive shopping experience online for our customers across the country. This website will be the home for anyone who can't access our quaint little shop or those who want to shop in the comfort of their own homes.


So from all of us at Alba, we would like to formally invite you to go make a cuppa, take a seat on your couch, open that laptop or phone and have a browse. Who knows? You may just find something that tickles your fancy.


P.S. Keep an eye out on this page because do not fear there is so much more to come!







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