About The Red Squirrel
The Red Squirrel is an independent gift shop located in the heart of Carlisle, established in February 2025 by Andy Blake and his wife, Esther. Our establishment was born from a passion for distinctive, high-quality products and a desire to provide a unique shopping experience for our community. As a leading Carlisle gift shop, we pride ourselves on a meticulously curated collection of greetings cards, stationery, and delightful gifts, sourced primarily from talented UK-based designers and makers.
Our Story and Inspiration
The name of our independent shop is a heartfelt tribute to one of our favourite native animals, the red squirrel, which can often be spotted near our home. It evokes cherished family memories of watching these charming creatures. This sentiment of joy and happiness is the guiding principle behind every item we select for our shop. The Red Squirrel is more than just a store; it is a destination for fun, happy creations and thoughtfully chosen presents. It's also a nod to a close relative who died from alzheimer's and dementia. They told us they could see Red Squirrels running around on their bed.
We ran both an online shop and a physical shop, however due to increase in bills, our physical shop will be closing so we can focus on our online store and online community.
Award Winning Gift Shop
Since we opened our shop in June 2025 we have gained the following awards:
- Highly Recommended new business in the Small Business Awards 2025
- Winner - Toy Shop of the Year for Cumbria 2026
- Top 10 independent Business - News & Star 2026
- Independent Gift Shop of the Year: 2026 Cumbria - Prestige Awards 2026