The Story of Lazy Lobster

Last year, the Royal Arcade in Norwich celebrated its 125th birthday.

Since opening in 1899, this shopping arcade has celebrated the independent community of our fine city and has been home to a vibrant range of businesses, cafes and restaurants.

I recently caught up with one of the fantastic businesses that call the Royal Arcade their home – Lazy Lobster - to uncover the inspiration behind their shop, how they’ve handled the challenges of running a business and what they love about the community of independents in Norwich!

What inspired you to start Lazy Lobster?

We’d both been working together in education for years and felt ready for a change.

It started as a few casual chats about dream jobs and what really made us happy, and those conversations quickly turned into plans.

We realised how well we worked together and how similar our vision was. It was important to us to create a space that felt welcoming and inclusive, somewhere people could shop freely and find something that made them smile.

Norwich has such a creative energy, and we wanted to add something fresh, a colourful, curated mix of gifts and homeware, that feels a bit different.

Is there a story behind the name?

There is!

The name came from that feeling of being constantly busy and how if you slow down, people might see you as “lazy.”

We wanted to flip that idea and celebrate taking time for yourself, slowing the pace, and prioritising rest.

And the lobster? They’re just cool!

How would you describe the shop in three words?

Welcoming, playful, cool!

How does it feel to be in such a historic and iconic building in Norwich?

It feels really special. The building has so much character and history.

People often come in and share their memories of shopping here and the iconic shops that have been here over time.

We also love our Royal Arcade community; everyone is so lovely and supportive of each other.

What do you think your shop brings to Norwich?

Hopefully a sense of fun and creativity!

We want people to walk in and instantly feel at ease, to take their time, have a little mooch and maybe find something they didn’t know they needed.

More than anything, we want Lazy Lobster to be a friendly, creative space that reflects the amazing community around us.

How important is colour to your shop?

So important! We both love how colour can completely change a mood and we love nothing more than selecting gorgeous colourful products for the shop!

How do you decide what products to stock?

We definitely go with our instincts.

We’re drawn to pieces that tell a story, things that feel thoughtful, a bit different, and made with care.

We love finding independent makers and small brands doing something special.

There’s no strict formula, if it makes us smile, it’s probably right for the shop.

We find a lot of new products from browsing on social media and also visiting trade shows.

Our most popular items are our prints, mirrors, and fun bumper stickers, which we regularly sell out of! Our Milk Jar candles are also a customer favourite, they smell amazing, and every purchase supports inclusive spaces, which really fits with our values.

What’s been your biggest challenge as a small business?

There have been a few!

Running a business means juggling so many things but being in it together makes all the difference.

Jodie had major surgery just three months after opening, it was a wild time, but we have lovely supportive families who were on hand to help.

Our first year has been even better than hoped, which has increased the workload, but also has meant we could hire our lovely sales assistant, Amelia, which has been a game changer!

What’s the biggest lesson you took away from the trade shows you’ve visited?

To trust your gut.

Trade shows can be a bit overwhelming, but the best finds are usually the ones that we both instantly fall in love with!

We also learned to not place orders there and then, but to go back to the office and take some time to really curate the items that will work for the shop.

How do you balance running the business with your personal life?

It’s a work in progress!

We try to be honest with ourselves about when we need rest and make space for time off and we’re good at stepping in and sharing the load.

We have the bonus of being best friends, so business life is generally the best fun and doesn’t feel that much like work! Also, being able to employ Amelia has really helped.

We have also put systems in place to have some boundaries around work communication, so that instead of messaging each other work thoughts when we aren’t together, we add them to a shared task list.

We still message each other every five minutes, but it is usually sharing TikToks!

What do you love most about the community of independents in Norwich?

The support is incredible.

Other local businesses have been so generous with advice and encouragement, and the customers here are just wonderful.

Norwich has such a strong independent scene - it feels like everyone wants each other to succeed, and that’s special.

We often have customers come in that are looking for something specific and they have been recommended to us by another independent and we always point people in the direction of other lovely shops if we haven’t got what they are looking for.

Why is it important to support independent businesses?

Because every purchase genuinely makes a difference.

When you shop with independent businesses, you’re supporting real people and you’re helping keep Norwich a cool and exciting place to shop!

What advice would you give to someone thinking of starting their own business?

Do it! It’s scary, but so worth it.

Be flexible, stay true to your vision, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

What’s next for Lazy Lobster?

We’ve got some exciting projects coming up, including launching more of our own products and some collaborations with artists and makers.

We are also looking forward to hosting more events, such as our Christmas shopping event on 20th November. 

If you want to keep up to date with the fabulous work of Lazy Lobster, you can head to their Instagram (@lazylobsternorwich).