Kellie’s Story

When Kellie first took part in The Teenage Market as an 18-year-old, she could not have foreseen the transformative impact it would have on her life. Eight years later, she has opened her own shop on the high street in Salisbury, selling a range of handmade crafts from local artisans.

Kellie’s story began in Salisbury Hospital, where she learned to crochet while attending a hospital school due to health challenges. What started as a way to pass the time became a passion, and soon, even doctors and patients requested handmade items. “I started crocheting to keep busy,” Kellie recalls.“Then one day, a consultant saw what I was making and wanted to buy one for his daughters. That moment planted a seed in my mind.”

Inspired but unsure of how to turn her passion into a viable business, Kellie came across a flyer for the Salisbury Teenage Market events at her local library. The Teenage Market was not only Kellie’s entry point into selling her creations but also a powerful pathway that led to her deciding to open a high street shop. She describes the market as “the big stepping stone” in realising that her passion for crafting could become a viable career.

At the market, Kellie honed her customer service skills and began building a loyal following. Kellie’s first Teenage Market experience was both exhilarating and transformative. She recalls the joy of earning £80 on her first day and the confidence it instilled in her. “It was surreal. People liked my work, and it gave me a sense of pride and validation.”

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The Teenage Market provided a comfortable environment to get used to customer engagement, which gave me a safe space to practise and grow.

– Kellie, Salisbury

Through the connections she had made at the market, and the positive feedback she received from customers, Kellie was given the confidence to take the next step. “People were coming back to buy more, and they remembered me,” she says. “It was then I realised there could be a place for my business beyond the market.”

With this realisation, she took on a shared retail space in a shop, renting a small section where she could sell her crafts regularly. Eventually, after several years of operating in shared spaces, Kellie gained enough regular customers to open up her own shop in Salisbury.

When a property on Winchester Street became available, she seized the opportunity to establish the independent emporium Stuff, to reflect the eclectic mix of handcrafted items from local artisans she had met along the way.

In doing so, she fulfilled her lifelong dream of owning a shop at just 24 years old.

Today, Stuff provides shelf space for artisans to display their work, allowing them to avoid the costs of running a shop and creating a constantly evolving showcase of one-of-a-kind items.

“It’s a little bit different to any other shop in town. A lot of people have popped in and said that they’ve seen things here they haven’t seen anywhere else,” Kellie shares. “Without the skills and community The Teenage Market helped me build, I wouldn’t have had the courage or knowledge to take that leap,” she says. Now, Kellie’s shop in Salisbury stands as a symbol of what The Teenage Market can inspire young entrepreneurs to achieve.

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Without The Teenage Market, I honestly don’t think I would have a shop today. It gave me the connections, experience, and belief that I could make this happen.

– Kellie, Salisbury

Reflecting on the accessibility The Teenage Market provides, Kellie acknowledges the challenges many young people face when starting a business.“Having that opportunity for free was a game-changer. I didn’t have to pay for a market stall, which is often too expensive for beginners,” she says.

Now, as a business owner, she continues to advocate for The Teenage Market, encouraging young artisans to explore it as a stepping stone to entrepreneurship. Kellie’s journey illustrates the invaluable role The Teenage Market can play in transforming young people’s lives. The platform gave her a foundation, helped her overcome personal and financial barriers, and sparked the confidence needed to turn her creative passion into a thriving business.