Jim Smith

Jim Smith, is a fictional character in the Shopaholic novels created by British author Sophie Kinsella.

Personal Life
Jim lives in Cumbria, England in a small town called Scully. His wife is Elizabeth and his daughter is Kelly. Jim owns a store called Scully Stores which has been in his family for years. He is a family friend of the Bertrams, especially Bill and Jess. Most of the frozen foods he gets are from Bertram Foods.

Shopaholic & Sister
Jim appeared in the fourth novel during the middle of Ch.17 when he meets a distraught Becky whom arrived to try to reconcile with Jess. Taking pity on her, he takes her to his store for a nice cup of hot tea. His teenaged daughter, Kelly, immediately befriends Becky and she tells them along with a few others about her problems that lead to this. Jim has her lodged in Edie's Bed and Breakfast during her time in Scully. The next day, he reveals Jess' harsh upbringing by her parents to Becky. Jim even remembers the sight of her waiting for the bus so she can go to school at Carlisle with her big, bulky backpack and was only skinny child, not the strong, assured woman she is today. He continues revealling that Bill was very hard on Jess and her brothers and even boasted on how they worked hard for their pocket money, even paying for their own school trips. This shocks Becky because she felt it wasn't right to pay for school trips and thinks that parents should pay for them. However, Jim mentions that Bill expected them to fend for themselves like he did and they learned the value of money at a very young age. He heard a rumor that one of Jess' younger half brothers didn't follow the trend and always liked spending his money on unnecessary possessions. When he didn't have the money to pay for them, Bill, Jess and his other brother, refused to help him out. Jim doesn't know if it's true, but gives Kelly a stern lecture about how gateful she should be that they're paying everything for her. This made Becky recollect the times when she was growing up and her parents always paid for everything. They never taught her how to fend for herself and the value of money. In that moment, Becky realizes that she had been spoiled all her life and everything Jim said about Jess' past made perfect sense to explain her thrifty mentality.

After being unable to reconcile Jess, Kelly suggested that Becky forgets about her and even tells her about her opinion on the matter. However, Jim tells her that it's not as easy as she thinks because family can't turn their backs on one another. He even thinks that since Jess is being so hard on herself she could do with having her as a sister. Becky agrees with Kelly because they have gone without knowing each other for 27 years and had been used to being an only child. Jim tells her not to give up and suggests that she comes with his family for an environmental meeting. During that time, Jess is upset to see Becky there with his family and wants her to leave because she thinks her ideas are a waste of time and felt betrayed by him and the others for it. Soon Jim shares her disappointment when she learns the truth and decides to return home to London. He, Robin and the others visits Becky at Edie's Bed and Breakfast in an attempt to change her mind and stay with them to help with the media aspects of the protest because they like her ideas. She refuses, but Jim voices his concern for her having a mental breakdown if she returns to London in an empty flat alone while her husband, Luke is away. He wants her to stay even if Jess is unwilling to reconcile with her because having her lead the media aspects will help keep her distracted. Even though she felt touched that Jim and the others wanted her help, Becky still refused because she must return home to try and save her own marriage by herself. By the next day, she has already packed up and decides to leave. However, she says her farewell to Jim and his family. She asks for one last favor and asks him to deliver the silver Tiffany bean necklace to Jess' house. Jim convinces Becky to come with him up there because he can use the company. During the drive, he tells her he feels bad for her because she and Jess aren't able to reconcile. Becky tells him that she'll be fine and even feels some familiar resentment starts flooding back. She tells Jim that she has tried to get along with Jess, but always felt that she doesn't care and is passionless. Amused and shocked by this, he tells Becky that she does have some passion and when they arrive at the house, he'll show her what he means.

During a trip to Jess' house, he shows her the famous rock collection in a cupboard similar to her own shoe cupboard, which made her resentment disappear. It was only then, Jim tells Becky how she got the scar on her leg from trying to get a rare rock from a mountain and was willing to risk herself just to get it. He even tells her that Jess got arrested at Customs one time when she tried to smuggle a precious crystal in her jumper, but was let off. It was only then everything Jim said made sense to Becky and she regretted what she said about Jess's passions and must now catch up to tell her everything.

At the end of the book, he was among the many protesters protsting against Maybell Shopping Centers(owned by Arcodas, Luke's newest client).