Kidston opened her first shop after recovering from breast cancer. It was in London's Holland Park. It opened in 1993. The shop sold hand-embroidered teatowels and brightly renovated furniture. Kidston later described it as a "glorified junk shop". As of April 2011, she has 41 shops and concessions in the United Kingdom. There are two more in Ireland, eleven in Japan are three in Korea. More shops are due to open in Japan and Korea.