A pop-up shop founded by five independent business owners has found a permanent base in a ‘lovely’ Buckinghamshire town.
Sinéad Bernhauser founded Creative Collective Pop Ups alongside other independent business owners, to showcase their wares together after meeting at various artisan markets and events around the county of Hertfordshire.
The project, which initially operated from a short-term rented retail space on Berkhamsted High Street, has recently found a new home at The White House at Number 71 on Marlow High Street as part of a collaboration with the independent pottery store and studio Keeeps Pottery.
Sinéad, who sells loungewear & jewellery under the brand Hot Haveli and whose products are showcased in the store alongside that of her co-founders, whose work includes gifts, artworks, Provencal wares, plants, homewares and upholstered furniture, said the Collective’s new base was a result of the “amazing” reaction to a month-long stint at Number 11 on Marlow High Street which ended in September.
“We hadn’t launched a shop locally before, but the customers in Marlow were so supportive during that initial period. We were delighted to be welcomed into the community. So many people were saying, ‘We hope you don’t go!’
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“So, when Tamra from Keeeps Pottery said we could collaborate with them and run the ground floor of the White House to sell their pottery along with our other products, we thought it was a lovely idea.”
Tamra said: "From October, the ground floor of Keeeps, Marlow, is now shared with Creative Collective Pop Ups, with the upstairs Keeeps pottery studios as vibrant as ever, hosting classes, courses, parties and events.
"Our studio has been getting busier, and we'll be announcing even more fun events in the coming weeks! As always, your support means the world to us, and we are genuinely excited about welcoming another female-led brand to The White House, which shares our passion for championing traditional, artisanal skills."
Sinéad said Marlow was on the radar of her and her co-founders because of its likeness to the small and picturesque towns Berkhamsted and Harpenden in Hertfordshire, the sites of previous short-term retail tenancies.
While there is unfortunately no space to include the wares of new business owners right now, the Creative Collective team is hoping to work with two more local businesses from Marlow after Christmas.
"We have been so grateful for the support we've had in the area already, and we're loving Marlow as our new focus.
"It's such a wonderful, friendly town and we want people to know that we haven't disappeared, we've just moved along the High Street!"
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