Destination FINDRA
Meet the Innerleithen retailer championing the benefits of time spent outdoors – and connecting with each other – across their offer
Take a walk down Innerleithen High Street on any given day of the week and there is a high chance you will cross paths with mountain bikers fresh off the hill, trail runners in search of post-exercise coffee or a contented pup (and owner) returning from a long, riverside ramble.
Much like the rest of the Tweed Valley, Innerleithen is a magnet for active, outdoorsy types. Which is not surprising, given its location. Bordered by the forested hillsides of Elibank & Traquair to the south and Caberston to the north, and in skipping distance of outstanding walking routes including the Southern Upland Way – one of Scotland’s Great Trails – it is a town made for exploration and adventure.
It also serves as the ideal base for FINDRA, a clothing brand very much inspired by the natural landscapes around.
“The outdoor scene has really flourished and diversified here,” explains FINDRA CEO, Alex Feechan (pictured). “When we first opened FINDRA in Innerleithen, the Tweed Valley already had a reputation for mountain biking. There’s now a much broader appreciation of everything the area has to offer – from walking, gravel riding and trail running to open-water swimming and canoeing. It feels like people are more tuned into the benefits of being outside for their well-being, not just performance or sport.”
Just as the outdoor scene has diversified and evolved, so to has FINDRA’s home. Formerly the town jail, the small retail space that popped up on Innerleithen High Street over a decade ago has been extended to encompass growing product lines and, more latterly, a hygge coffee shop with an additional social space to the rear. It’s no longer just a place to pick up base layers and beanies – it’s a fully-fledged destination store; a space ‘to connect, recharge and be inspired’.
It’s been a busy year already for the store. A local hub for writers and adventurers, artists and musicians, FINDRA has hosted a mini textiles exhibition, served as a laid-back venue at Innerleithen’s Music Festival and an intimate setting for a fascinating author event with local writer and walking enthusiast, Kerri Andrews.
“The event with Kerri was brilliant,” says Alex. “It showed there’s a real appetite for cultural and community-focused gatherings alongside the more active outdoor side of life. We’re planning to host more evening events like these over the autumn and winter – things that bring people together and make the darker nights something to look forward to.”
Cosy, stylish and sustainable, the headline acts for the coming season also include FINDRA’s bestselling range of Merino base-layers, cowl neck sweaters and jackets perfect for the changeable weather. “Autumn is all about layering, and that’s where FINDRA really comes into its own,” notes Alex. “The natural fibres regulate your temperature, wick away moisture and keep you cosy without overheating and accessories like neck warmers and our Cosaig hot water bottle covers become firm favourites as the nights draw in.”
We feel a shopping trip coming on …