31/05/2026
Yesterday a customer came into the shop looking for a gift. She wasn't really after cheese (I know, I know...) and while we had plenty of lovely things she could have bought, she mentioned olive oil.
Now, we do stock some beautiful Italian extra virgin olive oils, but instantly I thought, "You need to speak to Mike at Lazos Grove."
A few hours later, Mikes son Ben popped over to say thank you. Completely unnecessary, but very much appreciated. Meanwhile, he and Charlie disappeared into a lengthy conversation about football and the Champions League (Charlie being an Arsenal fan remains his only real flaw), while I got on with prepping for an evening catering job.
Fast forward a few hours and I arrive at the venue to set up. Guess who was there?
The olive oil customer.
And the gift she'd bought from Lazos Grove was for the host of the very party I was catering for.....
You couldn't make it up.
To make it even better, I only got the catering job because George at Meat Up Cambs recommended me in the first place.
I left the event after setting up with a full heart because it is hard running a small business at times and spinning lots of plates but it was a really lovely reminder that small businesses aren't just shops. We are a community. We recommend each other, support each other, and sometimes those connections come full circle in the most unexpected ways.
Royston is pretty special for that.
