Meet Wellington’s newest and youngest entrepreneurs, Samira Nadim and Olivia Mumford , both 18. Together they’ve formed Follies Vintage Corner and are selling and hiring out elegant clothes of another era from a stall in the new craft market above the Old Sale Rooms.
“We’ve been friends since we started at Courtfields School together,” said Samira. “But the business came about because we both love older clothes. I used to work in a vintage shop…
“And I used to spend all my time there as a customer,” added Olivia. These two are so close they finish each other’s sentences. Since they opened Follies in the middle of June the two have been working seven-day weeks but love their job.
“It was slow to begin with but it’s picking up all the time. We were actually the first people up here and it was a bit lonely for a week or so” said Samira. “Up here” is the cavernous space on the first floor of the Old Sale Rooms, lit by the stained glass windows of the former church and now filling up with some exotic retailers and specialist businesses.
Jigsaw Doctor
In another corner of the market Andy Hunt has another identity as the Jigsaw Doctor. If your favourite jigsaw has a missing piece, Andy can replace it. His worldwide customer database stretches from Wellington [New Zealand] to Korea and Turkey.
“Basically I work from an emailed photo of the section of puzzle around the missing piece(s) and then some special software will design and cut a piece to match the gap,” explained Andy, who also makes traditional wooden puzzles.
His flagship puzzle is the massive 4420-piece image of the famous Planiglobii Terrestris antique world map, claimed to be the world’s largest commercially available jigsaw.
Rosalind Boyer is another craft market pioneer. Her skill with a needle produces unique bags and cushions. “I love the atmosphere up here and in the town,” said Rosalind, who travels from Ilminster to run her stall. “Wellington’s becoming such a vibrant place”.