unLTD caught up with Toni Anne Dunleavy, Managing Director at luxury furniture and lighting experts Nest, to discuss how the business has settled in since opening their flagship 3,500 sq ft design showroom at Park Hill.
When did Park Hill first come on Nest’s horizon as a potential place to move into?
Our founder and CEO, Christian Hawley, is born and bred in Sheffield; he’s Sheffield through and through. I think evoking that friendly Yorkshire welcome is very much a core value of ours, so when the opportunity came up to have a space at Park Hill, it just really stood out for us. We’re celebrating our 20th year of trading this year, so opening in our 20th year at Park Hill just felt like a way of staying true to our roots.
Where were you based before and what prompted the move?
We’ve had a small showroom on Ecclesall Road in the past, and we’ve also been working out of a hybrid workspace just off Sheffield Parkway. We’ve been predominantly e-commerce focused for a number of years now, but coming out of the pandemic, it just felt right to kind of be able to showcase what we do. We wanted people to be able to touch and feel the products we sell.
Christian has always had a keen interest in modernist architecture, so Parkhill was always in the background when thinking about a new location. He also knows a couple of existing business owners on the site, so we were able also to get an insider’s point of view before deciding to go for it.
And on a personal note, me and my sisters were born in Sheffield, my paternal grandfather worked on the original Park Hill building site and my maternal grandmother opened a hair salon within the Park Hill complex, so there are some emotional ties there for myself.
When did the showroom officially open, and how was the process of getting it ready?
So, we opened the showroom on the third of April. It took about 20 months to fit it out; we wanted to make sure we got it right as we felt passionate about staying true to the roots of the Park Hill aesthetic without disturbing the original architecture.
On that note, what advantages do the building layout and architecture offer?
A lot of our collection was designed in the 50s and 60s, so there’s a bit of a connection there. But the large windows and open space also let a lot of light in, which is great for photo opportunities and showcases our products in the best way.
It’s the perfect location for a business: really strong transport links, close to the city centre and lovely open grounds for staff to walk around, unwind and have their lunches in. Also, the skyline view offers endless photo opportunities!
How have you found becoming part of the community of residents and businesses at Park Hill?
We’ve only been open three months, but it’s clear that everyone looks out for each other, whether you’re a business or a resident. You get the feeling that the residents are proud of the onsite businesses and eager for more to come along. We’ve been getting involved with the Park Hill Residents Association; they’ve got events running frequently and a summer social coming up, which we’ll definitely be getting involved in, and we’ve returned the favour by inviting residents along to the events we’ve hosted since opening.
In terms of the businesses, we’ve already worked with our neighbours, OD Create, who helped to film and produce a video for our first press launch event. Of course, we’re always recommending our customers to get food and drink from South Street Kitchen next door. We had a working relationship with the developers Urban Splash before the move, so it’s been nice to continue with that. I’m really excited to see what other businesses will be joining us in the future!
What would you say to any businesses that are thinking about moving to Park Hill?
What are you waiting for? The community is great, the transport links are great, and it’s an amazing Grade-II listed building. We’ve loved being able to interact with our customers and see them interacting with the products in our showroom space. We’re selling unique designs that are going to stand the test of time and be passed down through the years, and Park Hill feels like the right space to do that in.
How Sheffield's Park Hill Development is making a splash:
The Park Hill development, a joint venture between Urban Splash and Places for People, is proving to be one of the most desirable places to live, work and play in the city.
Urban Splash and Places for People have worked to maintain the strong community focus during the extensive refurbishment work, adding lobbies, generous balconies, gardens, walkways and seating throughout the development. The vision and ambition for the redevelopment of Park Hill is being realised.
Three of the five Phases to Park Hill are complete and fully occupied, and there is a vibrant, mixed community of 1,500 people living and working there.
Human Studio was the first business to move in and has just celebrated 10 years at Park Hill. New businesses recently taking up residence at Park Hill attribute the dual aspects of the new office spaces, parking, proximity to the city and transport links as well as the community vibe as the reasons for moving in. Additional businesses including a terraced restaurant are set join the line-up in the coming months moving into the latest space released in Phase 2, leaving just a handful of current commercial openings for prospectives.
Other assets to the community include a nursery, café and shop. Grace Owen Nursery has been onsite since 1963 and have been in purpose-built premises in the Phase 1 since 2016; South Street Kitchen, well-loved and used by residents across the city, opened in 2018; and a general store, Park Hill Provisions, is based in the student section, Phase 3, called Beton House.
The landscaped areas are used by residents, workers and visitors and include seating areas, outdoor table tennis tables and residents have even created their own herb garden.
Keeping up the momentum, planning is now in for Phase 4 of Park Hill, which will see 124 new homes, workspace and community facilities opening in 2025.
Reflective of Urban Splash’s commitment to the city and experience of regeneration, Sheffield City Council has recently named the developer as the preferred bidder to redevelop the city’s John Lewis store, also Grade ll listed like Park Hill.
Plans for Cole Brothers, as the building is affectionately known across the city, will transform the one-time store into a mixed-use space with substantial areas of the building reopening to the public as a place to ‘meet, eat and shop’. The ground floor is set to house independent shops, bars and restaurants, with the Barker’s Pool and Cambridge Street entrances opened up to allow for outdoor on-street dining. The upper floors will provide flexible workspace, studios, a gym and rooftop offices.
