Making herself unemployed was the best thing that ever happened to Karen Baber.
After nine years of working relentlessly as a pharmacy technician for the Scottish Prison Service, the 58-year-old from Ellon was worn out.
Quitting her job, Karen started making picture frames, a fun hobby that changed the course of her life forever after it led her into taking ownership of the local craft gift shop Myriad.
“I didn’t know I was into crafts until I made myself unemployed from the prison service and started making frames,” says Karen.
“I put the frames in the shop and the girl that owned it asked me, about a year later, if I would like to buy it from her.
“I’d never worked in retail before in my life but we just went for it and we’ve now had the shop for six years now and it’s just gone from strength to strength.
“Making myself unemployed was the best that ever happened to me as I wouldn’t have got the shop.”
Hidden treasure
An Aladdin’s cave of gift-inspired treasure, the quirky shop in the town’s Bridge Street is brimming with beautiful handmade goods and giftware from local crafters.
From macrame and jewellery to handbags, toys and everything in between, the shop certainly lives up to its name.
“It’s a crafty gift shop,” says Karen.
“We rent shelf space out to local crafters and then add in the gifty things as well.
“Everywhere you look there’s something different and everybody who comes into the shop always says they don’t know where to put their eyes first.
“It’s definitely a wee Aladdin’s cave.”
Sweet and savoury treats
Some of the small independent products Karen stocks include candles and diffusers from Aberdeen-based Angelic Aromas and sweet treats from Aberdeenshire-based business Fudgelike.
Karen also stocks artisan breads and home bakes from Ellon-based Bakeology with Matt and beautiful handmade decorations by Aberdeen-based Lots of Knotts Macrame.
“We’ve got 22 crafters altogether which is great,” says Karen.
“I’m very passionate about supporting local crafters.”
Niche homeware
Also popular among customers are the needle felt kits from the Aberdeen crafter The Green Boat and Boyndie Beehive, a Banff-based crafter who makes products such as honey, soap and lip balm from her beehives.
Karen’s character-filled shop is also home to a collection of gnome-like gonks.
“In terms of homeware, the most popular thing at the moment has been the gonks,” laughs Karen.
“Honestly people can’t get enough of gonks at the moment.
“We also sell vases, nice hand soaps – there’s just so much in the shop.”
At the heart of the community
The sense of community in Myriad is palpable not only in the vast array of locally crafted gifts on display but also by the fact that the shop is like a social hub.
“Quite a few people just come in for a yap,” says Karen.
“It’s nice because people come in and they know you by your first name, Ellon is a small place and everybody knows everybody.
“I’ve made a lot of friends through the shop which is really nice.”
Local support
Karen is eternally grateful for the support her shop has received from the local community especially during what has been a tumultuous time for small businesses.
“I’m very grateful for the support I’ve received,” says Karen.
“The lockdown was tough but the government helped which was great as it paid your rent and your maintenance and we just didn’t make any money during that eight months.
“But it was amazing how everybody came back and shopped local which was brilliant.”
Pride and joy
Moving premises has also made a difference to footfall.
“We started at number 27 Bridge Street and we’ve moved to number 39 so the shop can be seen from the road so it’s just got better and better,” says Karen.
“We get people who travel from Peterhead and Banff which is great.
“The shop is my pride and joy to be honest.”
Living in the moment
Looking to the future, Karen is happy to take each day as it comes.
“I’m happy the way it is, we’re just taking things a month at a time at the moment because you just don’t know what will happen with the cost of living and the energy bills etc.
“At some point it might be time to sell it on but hopefully that’s not until I’m retiring.”
Karen, who has two grown-up children, says her husband Wayne has been there through thick and thin.
“My husband Wayne is really supportive, he likes a challenge as well,” says Karen.
Asked if she has any advice for anyone who feels like they might be stuck in a rut in life, Karen says: “You just have to go for it – if you don’t try, you don’t get it.”
To find out more about Myriad, check out their Facebook and Instagram.
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