Leeds gift shop owners thank supporters for 'crazy' response after day without selling anything

The owner of a Leeds gift shop has spoken of the 'crazy' response to her Facebook post after the business was visited by only four customers in a single day.
Natalie Entwistle and Claire Riley run Our Handmade CollectiveNatalie Entwistle and Claire Riley run Our Handmade Collective
Natalie Entwistle and Claire Riley run Our Handmade Collective

Claire Riley and business partner Natalie Entwistle run Our Handmade Collective in the Grand Arcade, which stocks gifts and cards made by 70 local artisan crafters.

On Monday, the shop failed to sell a single item for only the second time in its six years of trading - prompting Claire to write a social media plea for more people to support independent traders.

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Claire, a former crafter herself, has now confirmed that the shop was much busier on Tuesday after hundreds of people commented on the post.

"It wasn't a 'pity post' - we've only had two days without selling anything since 2013. We were surprised by it really. We've been struggling with footfall in the Grand Arcade and a lot of people don't even know we exist, or how much is going on down here.

"Tuesday was much better and a lot of people came in because they'd seen the Facebook post or the Yorkshire Evening Post article."

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"That really struck a chord with me. It's OK to say you have bad days as well as good days. People want to know the story behind the shop and how it supports the local economy."

Claire's other candid posts have included details about a theft at the shop two years ago in which £900 of jewellery was stolen during opening hours.

"We put the information out there because it is really not OK to steal from an independent business who have no way of recovering that money. But in general, I don't want our posts to be seen as negative. We want to raise awareness of who and where we are."

The Grand Arcade, at the top of New Briggate next to the Grand Theatre, was formerly a rundown precinct home to several 'dingy' nightclubs and boarded-up businesses. Six years ago, its landlords launched a concerted drive to spruce it up and attract new tenants, leading to a new community of independent traders moving in.

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"We moved in in 2013 and it has been renovated and put back on the map. People don't realise what a thriving community it is now. We don't get a lot of support from the council - we are not highlighted on visitor maps, unlike the Victoria Arcades, and we can't afford to advertise with banners around town.

"We are really lucky that we are still here, but it gets harder every year. Since Brexit was first announced there has been a real dive for us. People just don't have the money to spend any more - but once they discover us, they do keep coming back. We've got to just smile and hope for the best."