A LONGSTANDING Ilkley retailer that is renowned for its huge product range, which includes tens of thousands of hardware, home, ironmongery, kitchen and gardening products, has been bought by a loyal staff member who has worked there for 44 years and his wife.

David and Sharron Jowett are the new owners of Mortens, which opened in 1937, and is located on Cunliffe Road, just off The Grove in Ilkley town centre. Mortens currently employs a team of nine, and David joined the business when he was just 16.

A familiar face at Mortens, he will remain in the shop leading the team, advising and serving customers, as well as dealing with orders from commercial clients which include local tradespeople, schools, nursing homes, hotels and all other types of business. Sharron, who brings more than 25 years’ worth of retail experience to her new position, will deal with the accounts and administration.

The pair have bought the business from previous owners, Stephen and Anna Senior, following Stephen’s retirement and they were advised on the acquisition by the corporate team at LCF Law, which has an office in Ilkley.

Mortens was originally founded by Ralph Morten, and his wife Barbara ran the business during the war after he went to serve his country. In the 1970s the couple sold the shop to Brian Senior and Keith Hart, who were both long-term employees, before Brian’s son Stephen took over in 1995.

Inside the shop is (left to right) Patricia Obawole, Sharron and David Jowett Inside the shop is (left to right) Patricia Obawole, Sharron and David Jowett (Image: John Steel Photography)

David said: “When I joined Mortens as a Saturday boy in 1980, I never imagined that one day I’d own it, but when this opportunity arose, it was a natural decision to make. We’re fortunate to have many local customers who have remained very loyal to Mortens over the years, including lots of local tradespeople. The store continues to evolve with the times, having recently started building our social media following and selling plants alongside our garden supplies.

“Mortens’ reputation has always been ‘if Mortens doesn’t sell it, you can’t get it.’ Even if we don’t stock something, we will always endeavour to source items for our customers and it’s this level of personal service that always sets up apart from our competitors.”

Sharron added: “Mortens is a great business that’s been part of the fabric of Ilkley’s high street for generations. Crucially, we have a very knowledgeable and experienced team to advise customers and guide them towards products that match their exact requirements, which means our customer service is second to none. Ultimately, this is the foundation of Mortens’ success because it’s something that no online business can replicate.”

Patricia Obawole, from LCF Law’s corporate team, added: “It’s been a genuine privilege to guide David and Sharron through this acquisition. As well as making good business sense and being good for Mortens’ team, the shop’s customers and Ilkley as a whole, they both already have a huge amount of passion for the business, which made it a particularly rewarding deal to work on.

“There’s no doubt they’ll continue to develop the superb reputation that Mortens has worked so hard to build for so long and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for them.”