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44 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
customers know that. Actually my friends are<br />
harder on me than I am!’<br />
Like Greg and Alice, Owen agrees you never<br />
fully switch off when you are a sole trader –<br />
his business is the first thing he thinks about<br />
when he wakes up and the last thing he thinks<br />
about before going to sleep. Six years into<br />
his business it’s been a steep learning curve<br />
but good fun. ‘I would recommend anyone<br />
thinking about becoming self employed just<br />
to go for it – but you must be prepared to<br />
work hard.’<br />
Concept 65, the Wee Kitchen Shop and<br />
Isabella’s Wardrobe have all found their niche<br />
in the West End. But it has taken time. Alice<br />
says it took around eight years to develop her<br />
market and build up to the quality of stock<br />
she now has. ‘I knew what I wanted to sell but<br />
it took me a wee while to find the customer<br />
base. Nowadays I get lots of high value<br />
pieces and I have the market to sell them<br />
on. Authenticity has never been an issue,<br />
I am careful who I take stock from and there<br />
is always assistance out there in verifying<br />
pieces. Business is thriving in what is a<br />
competitive market and I just want to keep<br />
doing what I am doing.’<br />
‘There is always going to be a place for<br />
bricks and mortar shops like these,’ Owen<br />
concludes. ‘People want to see and try<br />
before they buy. If I am still here in a year then<br />
I am doing something right!’<br />
Isabella’s Wardrobe, 318 Crow Road<br />
The Wee Kitchen Shop, 304 Crow Road<br />
Concept 65, 65 Hyndland Street
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