NEW Sheila Fleet Kirkwall Shop Update!

After two years of working behind-the-scenes on our new Kirkwall Gallery location, we thought it was time we shared progress! Opened in 1999, the Sheila Fleet Kirkwall Gallery was Sheila’s first retail location outside of her workshop in Tankerness. Although the shop at 30 Bridge Street will always have special meaning for Sheila, the location has become too small to properly showcase Sheila’s ever-growing collections, so a new location has been planned for a few years.

“It will obviously be sad to leave 30 Bridge Street”, reflected Sheila. “We get a lot of comments about how lovely the shop is, which is great to hear, and it’s a tribute to our fantastic shop managers and staff who have kept it to its high standards, and evolved the style of the shop over time. But we all feel now is a good time to move.

And that move is just a 2-minute walk along Kirkwall's busy main shopping street to 50 Albert Street...

After collecting the keys in 2022 to what was previously The Orcadian Bookshop, Sheila and Martin began developing ideas on how to create a stunning new retail space and a fresh new look to the area, while being conscious of its town centre location.

“The shop's design will be a celebration of Orkney's rock stacks, stormy seas, shoreline caves, and beaches, and all the wonderful colours of the seasons.” —Sheila

The exterior of the new shop and the addition of new window panels on all levels will bring incredible light into the space. Adding to that, there will be bronze metal structures hugging the corner and side of the building, representing the iconic Old Man of Hoy. This will be topped off with a sculptural installation of three curving metal beams representing sea forms that inspired Sheila's well-known Tidal Bangle.

Following the development of Sheila Fleet Jewellery's dramatic retail spaces in Glasgow and St Andrews, and of course at The Kirk Gallery & Café in Tankerness, Sheila and Martin’s approach to creating immersive shopping experiences has been admired by many. Orkney is at the heart of all these spaces, with inspirational elements of Sheila’s jewellery represented within all the shop designs. Visitors can be assured the new Kirkwall Gallery will be no different and we hope to have plenty of surprises in store for our customers!

On the ground floor of the new Kirkwall shop, visitors will be met by a structural space showcasing Sheila’s extensive range of jewellery collections from the last 30 years. The first floor will include a stunning stained glass window design and a mezzanine level, showcasing an array of crafts and giftware from Orcadian and Scottish artisans. For the second floor, Sheila and Martin still have various ideas of what that space could be. Keep an eye on our social channels, and sign up to our email list, to keep up to date.

The new Kirkwall development is obviously still in the planning stages, but we’re hoping to keep things moving as quickly as possible...

An Edinburgh sneak peek…

And our plans don't stop there! We’re delighted to have found a new premises for Sheila Fleet Edinburgh, moving from Stockbridge to Hanover Street, much closer to the centre of the city. We’re still in the early stages of this development as well, but stay tuned for more information in the months ahead!