Who Are We?
We are Andrew Earley and Jane Stewart and Bert's is our business. We've been running shops together for the last 15 years but only opened the doors to lovely Bert's in 2005. We're a local independent business and when we started Bert's in Hove we did everything ourselves with only one other person helping out. Bert's has grown a bit since then and we now have seven full timers and a host of brilliant part timers working with us, but we still personally choose and test out every single item you'll find in the stores.

We both live in Brighton and the shops reflect every aspect of our lives. Andrew lives in a calm and highly organised home, while my husband and I live in complete chaos with our three very lively children, all under the age of four!

We're very excited about 2011 as we've got lots of plans which include opening a third store. We're also going to get this website up and running for those of you who'd like Bert's to come to you instead of the other way round - so literally, watch this space...

How do we choose the stuff we sell?
Well, we're always on the lookout for great stuff at the cheapest possible prices. We travel all over the place searching for the new products that arrive in the shops every day. Basically, it's a hobby and a passion as much as a job for us so we never actually stop thinking about Bert's and what we'd like to stock.

Our rule is that we only sell things that we love, things that work and things we'd like or need for our own homes. Form is never more important than function and price at Bert's - doesn't matter how pretty it is, if it doesn't do what it's meant to, for the right price, then we just won't sell it. We  want our customers to be able to have a mooch around with their friends, pick up a few things that will make their homes work better and look better, without having spent a fortune in the process!

Andrew and Jane x