Emma Watson, who opened Wardrobe Liverpool in 2024, is preparing to open a larger shop on Smithdown Road after demand exceeded her expectations. The move marks a new chapter for the 51-year-old mother of four, who previously ran a domestic cleaning business before her Graves' disease made the physical work difficult.
From cleaning to fashion
Emma, a Liverpool Hope University graduate, said: "Eventually, my body just started saying 'no' to the physicality of the cleaning job. I knew I needed to find something else." She began selling women's clothing at local markets as a side business and later rented a small unit on Mosspits Lane to store stock, which became Wardrobe Liverpool.
The boutique, selling handpicked Italian clothing in a wide range of sizes, quickly became more popular than expected. Emma said: "It was a little foot in the door, and I didn't realise it would be as popular as it has been."
New location on Smithdown Road
The original shop on Mosspits Lane felt cramped with just two or three customers, and Emma knew she needed more space. She said: "I'd taken the business as far as I could in that space. The old shop was on a one-way street with very little parking." Customers travel from across the Mersey, Chester, and even Ireland to visit.
Emma secured the new premises after another Smithdown Road business owner passed on her landlord's details. She said: "Smithdown Road just felt like the perfect next step. It's got such a lovely, bohemian vibe." The new store is due to open on Saturday, July 25, following four weeks of preparation. The original store on Mospspit Lane has now closed.
