WOMEN’S clothing boutique MiMi collected the Community Business of the Year, sponsored by Wokingham Positive Difference, at the inaugural Wokingham Community Awards.
Located in the heart of the town centre’s Peach Place hub, the store and its staff were recognised for their unwavering commitment to serving the town, going above and beyond to ensure their customers feel at home while browning their stock.
Owner and director Julianne Moore said: “It feels amazing to be nominated and to win it has been just fabulous for the team, there’s seven of us here today to come pick up the award and everyone is just buzzing.
“It’s a great event. Because this is an inaugural award, I hope that it will continue and that it will grow. We’re just happy to be part of it.”
MiMi was established in 2012 as Julainne’s brainchild in an understated village in Hampshire, with the Wokingham branch opening in 2019. The store boasts a family-style atmosphere, with staff knowing members of the community and asking after them.
“We’ve set up our shop with a chair for husbands or people that come in and just want to chat or need to know directions,” Julianne explained. “Everybody who works in the store is local to Wokingham so everyone knows the community and is part of it. We like selling our stock and we’re just happy to help.”
The nomination entry described the team as “one of a kind, lovely and deeply caring”, even offering glasses of water to those who could do with refreshment. “Wokingham wouldn’t be the same without them,” it read.
When asked what her message to the person who nominated Mimi would be, Julianne said: “A big thank you because awards like this are really, really important to the local community.
“There are so many diverse businesses and people that do amazing things so to get to know who they are at awards like this, it helps us to pass that knowledge onto everyone else as well. Everyone’s just buzzing.”
Judges also awarded the Community Business of the Year accolade to Kimelcafe.
