Felixstowe Beach Street business Beard Manners, run by Jason Morris, preparing to move to St Peter’s Street in Ipswich
A business owner who branched out on his own as part of a journey to overcome grief is gearing up for a move to Ipswich.
Jason Morris has run Beard Manners out of Felixstowe’s Beach Street since 2022.
The company, which specialises in beard care products, such as oils, balms and waxes from scratch, is planning to open in St Peter’s Street from April 2.
The shop, which Jason hoped would give off the vibe of a barber shop or speakeasy, will occupy an empty extension beside The Thomas Wolsey pub.
The 43-year-old father of three, who also posts to YouTube under his brand name, said: “I’m looking to move to Ipswich for a number of reasons, but most of all I’m looking for a new challenge, it’s part of who I am. And the new unit is a great size for what I want to do with the business.
“I’ve found my shop isn’t just a place to buy things, people also come in for a chat, a laugh and a joke and I want to offer that. I also wanted more space and the new location also has a kitchen so we can make everything in-house without me having to rely on making things at home.
“Beach Street is a fantastic place for businesses and has an amazing vibe and helped me grow my business but I’m a positive guy, who always looks to the future.
“Ipswich also feels more professional. I’m aware of people’s perception of the town right now, and I want to play my part in changing that. I hope there’s more of a switch towards independent businesses such as mine.”
Beard Manners primarily operates as an online retailer but Jason said he loved having a physical store, both as a way of chatting to customers and for storage.
When he moved to Beach Street, it was the first store he’d opened, although he previously worked as an ambassador for another beard care firm.
He started his own company during lockdown as part of a journey of self-discovery after he and his wife lost a baby.
Jason said: “It was a wake-up call to what was important in life and I made a promise to my daughter to follow my heart and I wanted to try something new.”
Jason told SuffolkNews he was inspired to start his own beard care brand after opening up to a group of other bearded men.
He added: “It made me realise the importance of the beard community, who will support a complete stranger. Growing a beard can be life-changing and it gave me a new sense of style and confidence. It’s like a mask.
“However, I also wanted to set up a brand for everyone. We don’t judge or discriminate. I’m lucky to have the beard I do, and we want to help anyone who wants a beard any way we can and encourage people to embrace the beard they have.”
Jason finished his final weekend at Beach Street yesterday.
A launch event is planned at the new unit on April 6.
