In 1986, Julie began working at the Sandcastle Water Park in Blackpool, just as it opened its doors to the public. She was placed in charge of the newsagent shop inside the park, a role that gave her early experience in retail and responsibility. For three years she built her confidence there—until an unexpected change altered her course. When her manager’s contract was not renewed, Julie suddenly found herself out of work.
Rather than seeing this as a setback, she treated it as an opportunity. Julie enrolled on a business course at Blackpool College, determined to gain the skills she would need to run a business of her own. It was during this time that she met Kevin, the man who would later become her husband of more than 30 years. Together, while Julie completed her course, they began discussing ideas, searching for premises, and thinking seriously about what kind of business might be missing from the local area.
They noticed a gap in the market. There were few nearby electrical shops supplying the full range of goods electricians needed. That realisation proved decisive. In early 1989, Julie and Kevin found a shop on Rossall Road that was up for sale. At the time, it had been trading as a fruit, vegetable, and fish shop, with a three-bedroom flat above. The price was reasonable, and the potential was clear. They purchased the property in February 1989, marking the beginning of what would become a long family enterprise.
The building required extensive renovation. Walls were knocked down, the staircase was repositioned, and the entire layout reworked to prepare the premises for retail use. Out of this effort came J’s Direct Electrics Limited, named after Julie herself—short for Julie’s Direct Electrics. Julie opened the shop in June 1989 and ran it entirely on her own for the first two years. Those early days were daunting. She admits she was terrified when customers walked through the door, unsure what they might ask for and worried she wouldn’t have the answers. At the start, she didn’t yet fully understand the products she was selling.
Learning, however, became part of the business. Julie visited electrical wholesalers, toured factories, and sought advice on what stock would be most useful. She learned directly from the electricians who came into the shop, asking them about each product and its purpose. Before opening, she even spent a week at a health farm—bringing stacks of electrical textbooks with her so she could study in quiet moments. Gradually, confidence replaced fear. The shop grew busy quickly, and Kevin soon joined Julie full-time to help manage the workload. After six months of renovations, they moved into the flat above the shop, fully committing their lives to the business.
As the years went on, J’s Direct Electrics expanded its services. Alongside electrical supplies, the business operated a telephone centre, carrying out repairs to telephones and payphones, installing extensions, and selling phones at a time when mobile technology was still new. Julie recalls one extraordinary day when 20 to 30 mobile phones lay on the floor awaiting repair after a lightning strike—none of them salvageable, all destined for disposal.
By the late 1990s, the business had become firmly established. Julie’s son, Philip, joined the company as manager and went on to employ three additional staff members. Having previously worked at an electrical wholesaler, Philip brought valuable industry knowledge and contacts with him. He introduced monthly accounts for electricians, helping the business grow further and strengthening its place in the local trade.
Today, more than 37 years after Julie first stepped into retail work at the Sandcastle, J’s Direct Electrics continues to trade. It remains a family-run business, now supported by two more family members, with hopes of continued growth in the years ahead. What began as a leap of faith—born from job loss, determination, and learning on the job—has become a lasting local enterprise, rooted in family, resilience, and hard-earned knowledge.
Text source: Julie Fitzpatrick & Blackpool Timeline
Images by © Deeper Blue Marketing & Design Ltd
