FruFru & Friends: Our Story

How it all began

Hi there, I’m Jean and FruFru & Friends is my dream come true. Let me tell you how it all began. I have always loved making and creating things, so in early 2015, I began researching my passion for making soaps and skin care products into a business.

With a good understanding of the ingredients I worked with, I could already make lovely skin-friendly products, so the next stage was for me to fully understand and comply with all of the cosmetic industry safety regulations and legal requirements that enabled me to sell them to you.

In December 2015 FruFru was launched. The bright pink trim and bubbles on the logo was just a hint of the fun colours, shapes and fragrances that were to follow. I was on a mission to make amazing, kind-to-the-skin products that were affordable.

Find out more about our shop

Illness, Covid and a New Opportunity

After taking ill in 2016, I had to relearn a few things before I began making my products again in 2017 and restarted with the events and markets.

COVID scuppered the hunt for retail premises, and it was February 2022 that we began work on 90 Ryhope Road, Grangetown. This gave me much-needed space upstairs to make and store my stock and take the opportunity to invite 20 of my fellow makers and small business traders, who are our friends, to have their goods in the shop too, and so FruFru & Friends found its name and opened June 2022.

But it didn’t end there….

In February 2023, we began work on 92 Ryhope Road, once the local Regent Cinema which turned into FineFare, Blockbusters and then a gym. It took over 4 months just to complete, well almost complete, the downstairs of the shop and we opened mid June with 10 more small business’ joining us as well as adding a Coffee Shop – Mylo’s Place. This was the dream I had been chasing. We are still growing and developing, offering work space to makers, hosting craft and art events as well as fashion shows and business evenings.

View events

Why FruFru?

To answer a question lots of people ask: FruFru is derived from the phrase Frou-Frou meaning Fancy, Elegant or very Elaborate. When someone calls you FruFru it implies that they see you as showing a softer, more fanciful and fun side that lights up a room with style and sass!

Shop online

Mylo's Place - Our Fabulous Coffee Shop

If you’re local to Grangetown, you’ve probably already fallen in love with our warm, welcoming space where the tea, coffee and conversation are always flowing, and the food is delicious.

Freshly baked scones, scrumptious pies, melty paninis, and indulgent cakes… Sound good? Even better, why not treat yourself to one of our famous afternoon teas? It’s the perfect excuse to spend some time catching up with friends.

Find out more about our coffee shop

FruFru & Friends Shop - Early 1960s Sunderland

I will certainly be back again

Beautiful gifts and a fantastic range to choose from. Price ranges are great, something for everyone. I will certainly be back again.

Gillian Geehan

Well worth a visit

Fantastic shop with something for everyone even the pets! Such lovely selection of items & a lovely atmosphere. Well worth a visit xxx

Lyns Ralph

The shop is packed with gorgeous gifts

We popped in today for a quick nose around. The shop is packed with gorgeous gifts. Proper one-stop shop for every occasion, gorgeous kids clothes too. Definitely worth popping in. Staff were really laid back and friendly too.

Kerensa Jenkins

Gorgeous place

Gorgeous place not only for beautifully hand made treasures but truly friendly staff who are always extremely welcoming

Marie Bainbridge

We will be back!

Excellent shop, great variety of items, very friendly and welcoming staff! Fab painting session too. We will be back.

Claire Bewick-Ramsey

The quality is amazing!

I took my daughter in mainly to check out the bath bombs. They had a brilliant selection, and the quality is amazing! They also have lovely little gifts, something for every occasion. My daughter loves the shop, and it is becoming her new favourite shop! The staff are super friendly, too!

Jemma Walton

Really friendly staff – would highly recommend

My little girl absolutely loved painting her bath bomb here today. Lovely little shop with anything and everything you can think of to buy. Really friendly staff – would highly recommend.

Niomi Waldron

What a fabulous shop

Called in for some of jeans sugar scrub, I love the rhubarb one, the smell lingers for ages and it leaves your skin so smooth! Of course we couldn’t look around Aladin’s cave without coming away with some of their goodies, including dog treats and an angel ornament for my friend! What a fabulous shop.

Diane Stapleton

Absolutely lovely shop

Absolutely lovely shop full of so many different things, could spend hours browsing around. The coffee and cake were lovely, and my fiance thoroughly enjoyed his pie. Thank you. Would recommend

Emma Vasey

So glad I wandered in today, what a find.

Been passing this little gem of a place for a while wondering what treasures were inside. Today I pulled up and ventured inside to find an array of beautiful, unique pieces, and really lovely staff who are very warm and welcoming. I left with some treats, for myself and for a friend and will definitely be back for Christmas gifts and to try the coffee shop out. Everything is very reasonably priced too, so glad I wandered in today, what a find.

Our Story