Our Story
Set-up over 60 years ago, we have watched the world around our store change drastically to get to where we are today. See below, as we knit together the history of our brand.
The Button Box, Pontefract originates from an older, family run firm specialising in selling lace.
For the past 60 years, the Ball family has been part of the haberdashery trade. Initially starting as market traders, brothers Neil and Geoff covered the majority of Yorkshire’s outdoor markets, supplying their customers with high quality materials for low prices - a principle that we still apply to our business today.
Following this early success, the range grew, as did the number of markets covered, until we entered Pontefract’s indoor market for the first time in 1981. We’ve been there ever since!
Pictured: Joan at The Button Box, circa 2005.
As shopping habits changed, so did we, until our only point of sale was the Pontefract store, which was managed mainly by Joan - Neil and Geoff’s eldest sister. From here, we continued to make sewing more accessible, whether it was for a new project, a repair job or something else entirely.
Now run by Robert (Joan’s son and Neil and Geoff’s nephew), the shop in Pontefract has been a longstanding part of the indoor market and the town’s overall shopping experience. If you’re ever in the area, please come in and see for yourself!