Our Story
Discover our story, where it all began and all about our three Domestic Science stores in the Cotswolds offering a unique range of Home, Vintage and Lifestyle.
Our Story
Meet the founder * Timeline * Meet the Team
OUR STORY
Meet Libs
Founder of DS
Having worked in Antiques and Interiors for over 40 years, Libs Lewis has always been a magpie at heart. It all began at the age of 21, when Libs co-owned a house clearance business, and ran a shop alongside, to sell her finds.
Moving forward a few years, Libs continued her career in interiors, when her and 2 school friends, ran successful antiques shop in Tetbury and Nailsworth. After a decade they decided to go their separate ways and this opened up an opportunity for Libs to start Domestic Science home.
Libs picks all the products in DS herself, elegantly mixing the latest trends with sourced vintage pieces, her impeccable taste and cultivated aesthetic are visible threads that run through each carefully curated department. Often described by visitors as an 'Aladdin's Cave.' Both utility and function are high on the agenda at Domestic Science, but by no means do they compromise on beauty.
OPENING THE SHOPS
Nailsworth & Tetbury Shops were born
In 2011 Libs began sourcing contemporary goods, beautiful pieces of elevated everyday essentials, moving away from selling purely antiques. Domestic Science in Nailsworth was opened, the 2000 sq ft shop, half sits in the basement of the original mill building.
Later, in 2014, the Tetbury shop opened. Tetbury shop is set over 3 floors, in a Georgian, 6 bed, town house and has a light and airy feel. Although selling mostly the same products, we often hear how they do create different shopping experiences, and different products will catch your eye between the shops.
Both shops have a sister café situated next door. Café 53 in Tetbury and The Canteen in Nailsworth. There is always the smell of baking and cooking going round the shops which creates a wonderful shopping experience.
GROWING THE BRAND
Our Website
& Stow-on-the-Wold
Lockdown gave us the opportunity to develop our website, like a lot of businesses during that time. We now have a small web team who populate, market and delivers our lovely products to you all online.
When May 2021 came around, so did the birth of the newest of our Bricks and Mortar shops, our shop in Stow-on-the-Wold. The much smaller sister of Tetbury and Nailsworth. It is a one up, one down unit, set in Talbot Court, so offers an edit of the products we offer at Domestic Science.
Of course Libs had to put corrugated iron on the front of the shop, otherwise it wouldn't be DS.
Moving forward another few months, we needed more space to hold the extra load of stock that was required for an extra shop, so we took over an old Mill, warehouse space in Brimscombe, Stroud. This is now the place to receive deliveries but it also provides an office space for the website and head staff.
WHERE WE ARE TODAY
We are still growing
It is incredible how much we have grown since the birth of Domestic Science in 2011. Going from 1 shop and a small team, to now having 4 different sites, over 20 members of staff and a website is amazing to us all.
We are fortunate to be able to keep growing thanks to you guys supporting Independent retail. We urge everyone to do what they can to support small businesses, so our Highstreet can continue to thrive, we can continue to employ local people, and provide beautiful products to our community.
Let's see where the next couple of years takes us.
MEET THE TEAM
Meet the Team Q&A
Click the staff photos to read their full Q&A's.
See the entire Meet the Team blog here.
Serena
Tatia
Chloe
Krissy
Jo
Anna
Daisy
Meg
Martha
Scarlett
The Whole Team
Take a peek at what we get up to behind the scenes. We have a wonderful team of over 20 of us, who are parents, business owners and work for us too. The photo below is taken at our 2022 Christmas meal at our neighbours, The Long Table. & watch the highlights video from the summer.
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