Old Isle of Wight business brought back by founder’s grandson

Crouchers was first established in 1910 on the Island by Adolphus J Croucher, and for more than 70 years it was a beloved general store, bakehouse and post office, becoming a trusted neighbourhood hub for the local community.

In 2021, Adolphus’ great-grandson, Ben Matthews, resurrected his family legacy with a digital re-launch at Crouchers.com, reinventing the business as a British home store.

Ben left the Island to go to university and subsequently went on to have a 20-year career in fashion, working as a buyer for a luxury retail website.

Using his background in fashion, Ben wanted to see if he could use his background for good.

The original Crouchers shop on the Isle of Wight.

Last year, during lockdown, he gave Crouchers a digital re-launch, bringing his great granddad’s shop back to life.

Ben said: “My Brother posted a note about the original Crouchers on an Isle of Wight heritage page, and it was so good to hear how many people remembered my grandad and the original shop.

“Crouchers.com founding principle is to carry forward that original sense of community by supporting local brands from a modern, multicultural Britain.

“By blending British heritage brands alongside established independents and exciting new start-ups, Crouchers.com brings a fresh, modern edit of products, which are sourced for their good looks and compelling back story."

The store now operates out of Ben’s family home in Winford, but there is hope that once the business becomes established, it will have a physical space on the Island.