The Story Behind Dartmouth’s Local Businesses: Escape to the Coast

Dartmouth is a charming town that boasts a thriving community of vibrant businesses, many of them proudly independently owned. For a relatively small town, Dartmouth has a wide selection of shops, including the lovely Escape to the Coast. This independent business is run by Karen Hearn, and has two sites at 34 and 37 Lower Street. here Karen chats about why she chose how her dream of living in the South Hams became a reality, and why Dartmouth.

Before setting up my own business I was a sales manager for over 25 years. I would travel the UK visiting many retail businesses in order to sell a variety of gift, jewellery and homeware products. I then used this experience to help me when setting up my first shop in Hertfordshire.

Regular visits to the South Hams over time instilled a desire to move to the area. Dartmouth became my favoured location because it is such a beautiful town, with a vibrant retail sector, and in particular because of the beautiful coastal road from Dartmouth to Torcross. It is without doubt the place that inspires the ranges I sell now, including the iconic Glug Jugs.

It was in 2018 that my dream became a reality – after selling my business and home I made the move to Devon. Escape to the Coast gift shop opened in April that year with the fashion boutique following a year later.