Temptation was started in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, in 1983, by Mike and Sheena Adams. They had a simple retailing philosophy:shopping should be fun! Mike and Sheena set about creating a store that would sell unusual gifts, at a price people could afford, and to make sure that customers felt comfortable while shopping. They felt, (and still feel), that too many shops take their customers for granted, so they tried to create stores where customers feel welcome, are listened to rather than sold to, and where the goods on offer are priced within the reach of all budgets. Through the 1980s and 1990s the company grew responsibly and organically, moving into larger premises in Berkhamsted and then opening further stores in Beaconsfield, Amersham, and St. Albans. Turnover continued to grow, helped by continued reinvestment and the building of a central warehouse and head office in Amersham. The company became a limited company in 1999, but ownership remains entirely in the hands of Mike and Sheena Adams.
