Inside Small Businesses
Fowey River Traders

Rachel Roberts, 2 February 2026

There’s something rather special about the small businesses that keep Fowey’s streets alive; the ones that open their doors each morning not just to trade, but to greet their neighbours, nurture connection, and quietly weave themselves into the rhythm of daily life.

Our Inside Fowey’s Small Businesses series is about exactly that: looking behind the counter to meet the people whose ideas, grit, and warm welcomes shape the town’s character. These are the stories of passion projects, turned livelihoods, of local spaces that matter far beyond what they sell.

This week, we’re stepping into Fowey River Traders, where tea, tide, and timeless good taste meet under the careful eye of Nic Hoar. Hers is a shop, a coffee spot and a community hub built on belonging, good cake, and conversation.

Step across the threshold at Fowey River Traders, and you’re met with the scent of freshly baked cake, the gentle hiss of the coffee machine, and that familiar buzz of chatter that only really happens when a place feels like home. On any given morning, the shop is a snapshot of Fowey life, locals stopping in for a pint of Cornish milk, gig rowers buzzing with the salt still in their hair, RNLI lifeboat crew grabbing coffees, and visitors seduced by the discovery of wine and deli provisions in one cosy corner.

“I always imagined a place where everyone belongs,” says Nic Hoar, who runs the business with a trademark blend of calm competence and quiet kindness. “I wanted Fowey River Traders to feel like a hub, a corner of town where people can slow down, chat, and connect.”

What started in 2022 as a joint venture between friends, originally Fowey River Trading, has evolved into something distinctly Nic’s own. She took the reins solo in Autumn 2025, closing briefly to refit the space. The refreshed Fowey River Traders reopened just weeks later, retaining the familiar warmth but adding more room for conversation, and cake.

“It was nerve-wracking, no doubt,” Nic admits, “but we’d built a solid foundation. The transition gave me a chance to really think about how people use the space, to make it even more inviting, with more space to sit indoors when it’s raining. I didn’t want to change too much… just evolve gently.”

That word - gently - feels important. Nothing about Fowey River Traders is rushed. It’s a shop that moves at the rhythm of the town: part chandlery, part boutique, part coffee shop. A place to buy Cornish cheese and a bottle of wine one day, a cosy jumper or a new pair of boots the next. Nic’s curation is deliberate but unpretentious.

“The key,” she says, “is having something for everyone, whether it’s a grandchild buying a little Mother’s Day gift with pocket money, or someone treating themselves to a new coat. It’s all about choice, thoughtful quality, and making people feel good about shopping local.”

That spirit: practical, grounded, community-minded, runs through everything Nic does. She’s a former dental practice manager, and it shows: organised, unflappable, and deeply people-oriented. “Running a dental practice teaches you a lot about people,” she laughs. “You learn quickly how to listen, how to manage, and how to keep calm when things get busy. Those skills have been invaluable here.”

Nic’s partner, Gary, a self-professed “Fowey boy,” runs Four Turnings Garage, and the couple share a passion for what makes their town work. “Gary often says he remembers when you could buy everything you needed in Fowey without leaving town,” she says. “I try to hold onto that thinking, to make sure our offer complements what other shops are doing, not competes.”

That cooperative approach is part of what makes Fowey River Traders so special. When they collaborated with the other businesses in town on the Christmas Gift Guide last December, it showed just how true Gary’s words were; you really could do all your Christmas shopping without leaving Fowey.

And if you want something sweet to go with your shopping, Nic’s bakes are legendary. “I bake the things my granny used to make,” she smiles, “Simple, comforting cakes that make people happy.” The Mars bar brownies and coffee & walnut sponge are firm favourites. I couldn't resist picking up a Mars bar brownie and I can confirm it was magnificent.

And on a Sunday morning, when the gig rowers fill the shop, full of chatter, and clearly at home. “That’s the magic of it,” Nic says, watching over the crowded tables. “Places like this keep people connected. In a world where everyone’s rushing, these small spaces of belonging really matter.”

Beyond the coffee, cake and curated shelves, there’s a quiet functionality to what Nic offers, particularly for Fowey’s many self-catering cottages around the Caffa Mill end of town. She keeps the fridge stocked with single pints of milk for holiday arrivals, provides welcome hampers for housekeepers, and never forgets the essentials: wine, cheese, and conversation. “It’s about making it easy for everyone, visitors and locals alike.”

As the season ramps up, new products are emerging: postcards created from her son’s drone photography, and she is planning to stock stamp books to make the process of writing and sending a postcard simple and joyful.

In winter, Fowey River Traders opens Friday to Sunday; by half-term, they’ll be back to seven days a week. “You find your rhythm,” she says. “The business breathes with the town, quiet in January, buzzing by Easter. I think that’s part of what makes it so special.”

Fowey River Traders isn’t just a shop or a coffee spot. It’s a living illustration of what community enterprise can be - a business built on care, connection, and an unshakable sense of place. “This has always been my dream,” Nic reflects “, It’s hard work, but when I see people here - chatting, laughing, finding their favourites, I know we’ve made something that belongs.”

And that’s just one of the things that makes Fowey such a special place: businesses built with real heart.

If you find yourself wandering down toward Caffa Mill this week, do yourself a favour: pop into Fowey River Traders. Order a coffee, settle in for a moment, and don’t leave without trying a slice of Nic’s cake. It’s the kind of simple happiness you’ll think about all afternoon.