Running her own sweet shop had long been an ambition for Leanne Craig.
The 30-year-old spotted what she described as a “gap in the market” and along with partner Stuart Murray set about looking for a suitable location in her hometown of Inverurie.
Now six months later the pair are running the hugely popular Tutti Frutti based in West High Street.
Shelves are stocked wall to wall with traditional, retro and American sweets.
Products come from all across the world including Mexico and Thailand.
Perfect location for sweet shop
Leanne said: “We’ve always thought about opening a sweetie shop in Inverurie because we thought it’s what was missing.
“We used to travel to all the other sweetie shops and just thought let’s do it.
“We had been looking at places on and off for a few years and this one came up.
“It was just a perfect location. I was a bit scared for a start but Stuart said if we don’t try then we’ll never know.”
They opened the doors in December 2022 and now employ five members of staff.
Leanne combines working in the shop with her full-time job for as a payroll assistant for a local business.
Old school sweets fly off shelves
She said: “It’s been amazing. I thought if we could get through January and February, the quieter times of year then we’re fine.
“December was absolutely manic. We didn’t know what we’d let ourselves in for.
“Some days we were there until 1am trying to stock shelves up again for the next day.”
When it comes to their bestsellers Leanne is in no doubt as to what is most popular and ships in stock from around the world to keep up with demand.
She said: “Everything in the jars sell very well. All the traditional sweets.
“Lucky tatties, watermelons, icy cups and rhubard and custards we can’t keep them on the shelf.
“Also anything blue. Kids love anything blue.
“We have sweets from Mexico and got some stuff coming from Thailand soon and we are trying to get stock from India.”
Future plans for Tutti Frutti Inverurie
Leanne is hoping to get fully-equipped slush machines, ice-cream machines and sell milkshakes ahead of the summer season.
But also still focus on the core of the business which is sweets.
She said: “Sweets from all over the world is what I want at one side of the shop but still be known as a retro sweetie shop with all the retro stuff.
“Long-term opening a new shop would be on the cards at some point. I don’t know when.
“We are away to start with online ordering and dispatching to all over and open a TikTok shop”
Conversation