How did you choose your location?
Back in 2015, my partner Ken and I decided we would like to open a small antiques shop in Suffolk and he spotted premises to let in Sproughton.
The only thing was that this was 5000 sq ft, not the small shop we’d planned for. It was an old Heritage Reclamations building and when I had a look around, I fell in love with it. We got the keys in December 2015 and planned to open in February 2016.
There was lots to do: finding traders to fill spaces and sourcing stock for ourselves too. Thankfully, it all just seemed to happen nicely. We have around 15-20 dealers.
When is the shop busiest?
Weekends are always busy but weekdays can be hectic too. We have a tearoom on site which brings extra footfall.
In the past couple of months we’ve had a celebrity customer, Mel Giedroyc (of Mel and Sue fame), pop in. She made a couple of purchases and it was lovely to meet her.
Any other visitors of note?
We have a friendly ghost. Things are moved or opened overnight. It makes us smile when we get to work to discover what our friendly spirit has been up to. We always say good morning and good night to him or her each day.
What’s one thing you would do with an unlimited budget?
A bigger car park – but hey, size isn’t everything. We love our work and our customers. What could be better than that?
The Shed, 1a High Street, Sproughton, Suffolk IP8 3AF
