Rachel Crookes of I Love My Postcode
London postcode-lover Rachel Crookes set up I Love My Postcode in early 2008 when her passion for the humble postal address system caught on quicker than you can say WC1.
What began as an appreciation for all things London has grown into a busy nationwide business, and now Rachel prints postcode tees and other goodies for the big smoke and across the UK.
‘We do hoodies for men and women, and pants and vests for women only. We also do toddler T-shirts, plus we have a babygrow for N16 fans, and the I Love My Postcode cotton bag too.
‘We’ve just added a brand new T-shirt to the range which is made from 70 per cent bamboo – which is really soft, light and perfect for summer. It’s more eco-friendly than cotton too, so a good one to try as a new alternative to cotton. We will expand the range as the business develops, but right now the collection is small so we can focus on doing a small range really well.’
Where do you live in London and why?
‘Shepherds Bush, otherwise known as W12. I moved there three years ago and bought my first flat. Before that I’d lived in Ealing but wanted to venture into zone two for a bit more bustle. It’s a great place to live. Really busy, vibrant with loads of great places to eat, a brilliant market and open spaces.’
How did the idea for ilovemypostcode.com come about?
‘A good friend made my husband an NR2 T-shirt when we left our university town to move to the big smoke back in 2002, and that sowed the seed of an idea! I shamelessly borrowed the idea and made myself a different postcode T-shirt every time I moved around the capital…from E8 to W5 and then to W12. It was when I came to W12 that I finally bit the bullet and started the business. I’d always wanted to start my own creative business, and this seemed like a good one to try!’
What is your most popular postcode item?
‘It’s a battle between N16, NW6 and W12. We have a hardcore of fans in NW6 thanks to Whampgather – a great local meet-up run by Jonathan Turton. And have had a lot of local business from our Shepherds Bush neighbours.
‘There are plenty of postcodes we haven’t ever been asked to print, and now that we’ve gone UK-wide we have thousands yet to cover. It’s always exciting to see what the next postcode ordered will be. The novelty does not wear off of telling someone they’ve ordered the first item for their postcode!’
What is your favourite postcode?
‘Well, I have to say W12 don’t I? No, it definitely is – although there are plenty others I love too.’
How many people are involved in the ilovemypostcode.com venture, and what do they all do?
‘Just me! My husband Mike is my sounding board, sometimes a dog’s body and was my one-time press officer… but he was so rubbish I had to give him the sack! We’ve had a couple of interns but really, it’s just me, and this is a bit of a hobby. So, no great empire or venture but we like to give the impression we are bigger than just little old me!’
What do you do when you’re not printing T-shirts and running the business?
‘Weeeelll, aside from going to my day job in publishing, I spend my time enjoying London and visiting friends around the UK. I love trying new restaurants, getting out on my bike, going to markets and all that kind of stuff. My husband is just setting up a new audio literary magazine so I’ve been helping him out with that recently, and hope there will be more of that to come. I love a good project!’
Tell us about your blog…
‘The blog was originally a way to keep people posted about the business but then I realised there was a great opportunity to offer useful little guides to different postcodes in London. Plus there are tons of wonderful London local bloggers out there, and that the blog could be a great way to ‘collate’ their best tips and advice about their neighbourhoods. We’ve done some lovely little guides to different postcodes in London, and want to see it build and expand further.’
What’s your ideal day out in London?
‘It would have to involve at least one trip to a market, preferably where food is involved, cycling around one of the parks, sticking my nose into a gallery I haven’t been to or little museum, a wander through Soho, a trip to Liberty, then probably a film and dinner at Riverside Studios or somewhere like that.’
What do you miss most about London when you’re not here?
‘How busy it is, all the time. When I go elsewhere I am always shocked at how quiet the streets are… even at busy times. I always wonder what’s wrong, and wonder where everyone’s gone to, and then remember it’s just London is so crazy busy! And how you pop to the shops and there’s always something going on…or kicking off, depending. But never ever boring. Brilliant.’
What is your favourite season in London, and why?
‘Autumn – without a doubt. I love autumn walks in the parks with the trees all brown and golden, and down on the river on a crisp autumn day. You cannot beat it. Not at all.’
What do you recommend everyone in London do at least once?
‘Wow, tough one. Well, whenever anyone comes to stay I always find myself raving about the imperial war museum, which sounds like a really odd choice. But it’s such an interesting, mixed and eye-opening place where you can learn so much about history, the world and our society – the war aspect is only one dimension of it, plus it has a brilliant shop!’
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