An Aberdeen gift shop owner has decided to allow up-and-coming artists, creators and businesses use her former premises for free to get their ideas off the ground.
Tytti Peltoniemi, owner of Curated Stories on Claremont Street, has decided to open up her former premises on nearby Chattan Place to anyone wanting to use it to display their art, host workshops, or trialling if having a shop front is the right choice for their new business idea.
From June onwards, Miss Peltoniemi will be taking bookings for the “creative space”, only charging a small fee to cover the cost of utilities.
She said: “I’ve had this premises since I started my business eight years ago with just £2,000 worth of savings.
“Now we’ve got five staff, and about a year and a half ago we moved into the bigger building we’re in now.
“We weren’t sure what to do with it, but after using it at Christmas we’ve decided to have a brainstorm – and we thought it would be amazing to use it as a creative space that anyone can use.
“In our shop we meet so many local artists, crafters and makers who work so hard on what they do, but it’s so difficult to take a lease, abandon your job and dedicate yourself entirely to your side project – it’s sadly not a reality to a lot of people.
“So our Number 8 project will provide a space for anybody who wants to try out what it would be like to have their own shop, gallery or workshop space.
“And because we don’t have to make money out of it, we’ve decided that we’re not going to take any commission, and will just divide all the costs between all the groups using the space – meaning it will only cost about £10 or £20 to test the market for their ideas, and meet new clients.
“It’s tough times for the local economy, but tough times can breed the best kind of creativity, so I hope our little offering will help to encourage people to follow their dreams.”
