Much-loved Sheffield store to celebrate 60 years of service to city estate

A.E. Hartley and Son on the Gleadless Valley estate was first opened on November 23, 1960, when Harold Macmillan was still Prime Minister and JFK had just been elected US President.

Originally just a fruit and veg shop, over the years the business diversified into a general store as other shops closed and people’s purchasing habits changed.

Owner Alan Hartley, who is now 79, set it up with the help of his mum and dad at the age of 19 after leaving his job as a mechanic at Kennings Motor Company to be his own boss.

And the store has remained a family affair ever since, with Alan’s wife Pat, his sister Janet, his daughter Karen and son Lee - and Lee’s wife Helen - all still working there today.

Walking into the shop it still has the feel of a traditional store, with produce stacked high on all four walls and sections for confectionery, cards, baked goods and household items.

Despite a convenience store just a few yards away, Hartley’s has remained very popular among Gleadless Valley residents, with many children attracted by the dizzying array of sweets on offer.

Alan says in some cases they are now serving their third generation of the same families, with mums and dads bringing their kids in the same way they were brought there as youngsters.

And he puts their longevity down to one very important quality - trust.

He said: “We are unique. People still come in to get us to open jars for them or leave their keys for their husbands to pick up.

“We have a book where customers can pay off things a bit at a time and we’ve sent packages of sweets to people who have been serving in Afghanistan.

“The customers are really lovely - they are the salt of the earth. Some even bake cakes for us!”

The last 60 years have not been all plain sailing, however, with Alan recovering from open-heart surgery just over 20 years ago and Pat battling back from a bout of pancreatitis which led to her collapsing at the shop.

When they were trying to get on their feet in the early days, Alan’s dad Albert worked at the water board to help keep the business going while his sister Janet worked in insurance.

Later, Alan and Pat left the maisonette above the shop to move to Lodge Moor when they were married in 1965, while his mum, dad and sister lived there until the late 70s.

And Janet senior - Alan’s mum - carried on working in the shop until she was 90-years-old, sadly dying only two years later.

“So I’ve got another 11 years working still to go,” joked Alan.

Alan’s daughter Karen Johnson, aged 51, said the shop is a ‘total one-off’.

She said: “It is a little community hub where people feel safe and happy. When people have babies they come in and share the news. We have laughed and cried and played a big part in people’s lives.

“My brother and I use to work there on the weekends growing up. It would be a treat to go to the warehouse and the farm to get the eggs and we used to play with the kids on the estate. It was always just a really special place to be.”

Alan’s sister Janet, who is now 85, still works in the shop today, as does Lee’s wife Helen, 47.

And just as they used to when they were young, Karen’s boys Jamie and Thomas Johnson, aged 15 and 14, and Lee’s children Amy and Ben Hartley, aged 14 and 11, help out at the store as and when they can.

“They are keen to go and would be up there more if they could especially my older lad,” said Karen.

“We use them as official tasters for all the sweets so we know what will be popular."

But as well as being an enjoyable place to be, Karen said that the shop still provides a really important service in an area that is not without its fair share of problems.

“My dad and grandparents always tried to help the community and give something back,” she said.

“There are some customers who live alone so we bake cakes for them or make goodie bags at Christmas.

“Hartley’s isn’t just a business. We are all really passionate about it.”

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a digital subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.