Etsy-style pop up shop to open at Central Milton Keynes to sell a 'treasure trove' of goods

The old Pret a Manger store in intu is be be transformed into pop up shop selling locally,made goods.
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The shop will be known as The Indie Collective and will be joined by Oh My Cakery.

It will open its doors this Friday and will be selling products from more than 90 small independent businesses. These include homeware, décor, baby products, prints, bags, upcycled clothing and personalised gifts.

The Indie Collective is the brainchild of Adele Mackinnon, Carly Byrne and Steph Orr, who are small business owners keen to do their bit to save the high street and support other independents during a challenging time for retail.

The Indie Collective opens on FridayThe Indie Collective opens on Friday
The Indie Collective opens on Friday

They launched a successful crowdfunding campaign to raise half of the set up costs for the store, and Milton Keynes Council helped out with the rest of the money.

Steph said: “An empty unit is a sad sight... We saw this an as opportunity to bring our retail dream to life."

“Not only will the store be a place to shop but also an experience, as you get to know the makers behind the products and their stories. We have all spent the past six months shopping online and it is time to support bricks and mortar stores if the high street is to recover.

She said the project will also be bringing part time jobs to the city in the run up to Christmas.

MK Council’s cabinet member responsible for Covid-19 recovery, Cllr Emily Darlington said: “This is a really exciting initiative that we’re proud to be a part of. We hope our funding goes a long way in helping these local businesses which supports our campaign to encourage people to continue shopping locally – #ShopLocalMK.”

The Indie Collective will run until the end of the year.