Barrow's Crafty Hobbies celebrates 21 years in business this week

Crafty Hobbies, located on Cavendish Street, has traded in gifts and crafts since 2000.

HOBBY: Crafty Hobbies has seen an increase in railway sets

Joint owners Shelagh Morrall and John Hambler have been in their shop for the past 15 years, after beginning trading at the market.

The occasion was marked with a special cake kindly sent to them from Thomas' Bakery.

The business began selling doll's houses & craft materials in Barrow Market Hall 21 years ago and looks forward to many more happy years in operation.

Shelagh said: "It was 15 years in the shop for us on Monday, August 23.

"And we had been in the market for six years before that.

"Looking back on 21 years it's just flown by for us.

TRADE: Business sells railway sets, models and crafts

"But it's also been really exciting since the beginning.

"The secret to a long and successful business is definitely to sell things that you know a lot about.

"To last 21 years I guess it also helps not to have great expectations.

"I've always liked to sell things that I have a passion about rather than it being just any other stock.

"We're interested in what we have on our shelves.

"We pass our hobbies onto other people essentially.

"It all started off with doll houses we sold at the markets and it grew from there.

"It’s the enthusiasm we have that we pass onto our customers and they seem to respond to that.

"We expanded into a bit of craft, and model railway sets.

"They proved very popular.

TOYS: Crafty Hobbies Barrow in Furness

"During lockdown a lot of people have taken up hobbies like this so we saw an increase in a few types of things.

"The last 18 months have been a bit weird and we've seen items become more popular.

"We like to encourage people doing things practically which makes it more unique for them and really makes the product their own.

"John and I have known each other since school and we both had an interest in classic vehicles.

"I used to teach carving before we bought the shop.

"We knew the ladies who used to own it and when they said they were retiring John jokingly said, 'we'll buy the place'.

"A week later they offered it to us.

"We didn't have much business experience but we made a go of it and learned on the job.

"It was never planned. It was an off handed joke. But then it led to 21 years of business.

"Here's to 21 more years. It's amazing."