Name: Rebecca Sheridan

Business name: Rockways

Opening hours: Monday-Saturday, 10am-4pm

When did you open your business and why?

I OPENED here in July 2019 and previous to that, we were in the indoor market.

The business originally started in 2018 when I was bored and snowed in at home.

It’s been organic – I didn’t mean to open any of this. There was no plan whatsoever – I just let’s just put pretty things together.

It started selling, and a bit of time on Etsy as well, and here I am.

I wanted to do some more – the market is a great way to start because you’re not tied into a contract. It was my mate’s fault – she was looking at a shop (which eventually became Cat World) and she said she signed a lease.

I was looking at that, but I looked at a couple of places. I wasn’t planning to move but that one caught my attention.

I eventually came down to look at this one and I thought it was a bit more space and more expensive than the market but it’s an excuse for more shopping.

Why in this location?

I’d seen them on Right Move when I was looking. People look at houses on Right Move but I was the same with property development. I have a friend next door and it’s between the main car park and centre of town.

It was a good price for a sensibly-priced shop.

Oswestry has a problem for small businesses, that some of the premises are too big, or more than one floor, hence more staff.

This for me is that not only it’s a great place but it’s a great size to start off.

Tell us about your business?

When I was moving into the market, the manager – David Clough – told me I might have to get other things in instead of just jewellery.

I found people who sold bath products etc and since moving here, there is no plan. If I see something I like, I get it and try it. I try to keep some sense of flow – things are mystical or animals which ties quite well together.

It’s stuff I love so if it doesn’t sell I can take it home.

It’s all for the business.

We still get people coming in and saying they didn’t know we were here, and we’re finding new people come in. We have our lovely regulars too and we get people if we can get stuff in.

And if I can I will try to and then give them a ring.

What is your proudest moment?

Opening the doors for the first time has probably been my proudest moment. It was a bare unit, there was no lights or electrics.

The first day when I opened that door, I sat there thinking ‘I hope I get some customers’ but I also thought, look at this from not having a plan to 18 months later not having a shop.

I was left thinking ‘this is mine’ and this is something I’ve done.

Any strange requests?

Birthday cards but we have to tell them there’s a card shop next door.