Award-winning Telford convenience store owner celebrates 35 years in business
An award-winning convenience store that acts as a community hub in Hadley has undergone a complete transformation, and the owners thanked their supporters at a grand reopening event.
Julie Kaur has just completed 35 years of service at Jules Convenience. Julie’s husband, Joey, has racked up 42 years of service, joining his parents, who opened the Duhra stores in Hadley back in the 1980s.
Harbajan and Silender Duhra were on hand to assist with the official opening for the refitted store, along with Mrs Anna Turner, Lord-Lieutenant of Shropshire.
Around 100 people attended the event, including David Sidaway, chief executive of Telford & Wrekin Council, representatives of Bookers who planned and managed the refit, representatives of the local community, local charities, suppliers and customers.
Julie said: “I want to thank everyone who was involved in putting on and supporting our opening event, especially Caroline Hamps for helping me organise the event and for keeping me on track, my friends, family, customers and suppliers. All those who spoke so eloquently about our Joey and me.
"We are incredibly proud to still be at the heart of the community. This refurbishment will help us compete more effectively and ensure we can carry on serving our loyal customers for many more years to come.”
Julie is chair of trustees of Age UK, Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and £500 was raised during the event towards the 75th Anniversary Appeal to add to the £1,500 already raised this year for this charity. Fundraising continues in-store until October 17 with an Apple Watch, donated by Coca-Cola, along with a Coca-Cola hamper and an M&M leather rucksack of goodies donated by Mars Wrigley.
The raffle will be drawn in-store just before the Posh Frocks Charity Dinner and used to match fund the overall amount raised during that event.
Julie has raised tens of thousands of pounds for charity. This year she has raised £1000 for Friends of Telford & Wrekin Macmillan Cancer Support, Telford & Wrekin and £1127.48 for Hope House & Ty Gobaith Children’s Hospice. £525 Alzheimer's Research UK Shropshire Fundraising Group and £500 for Severn Hospice and £1,000 for Cancer Research UK.
No stranger to awards, Julie is a finalist in the Community Inspiration Awards, 2025, a finalist in the 2025 Best Businesswomen Awards in the Most Inspirational Businesswoman category, a finalist in the Federation of Independent Retailers Awards, Soft Drinks Retailer of the Year 2025 and the Retailers’ Retailer of the Year at the Convenience Store awards in April this year.
