CroydonHello! 6

When Beanos (R.I.P.) finally closedlast year, thanks to the rise of

downloads and decline in record-buying, Croydon lost one of its finestindependent institutions. For ownerDavid Lashmar, however, it proved tobe another opportunity in a staggeringlyeclectic career stretching all the wayback to a market stall by the sea many(not saying how many) years ago called,interestingly enough, Stuff.

Always aware of the need forindependent thought in a town overrunwith soulless, homogenous chain-stores,David and his team of Tim, Jim andConan set about creating and buildingan undercover market in the shell of theBeanos shop. Stuff! Croydon, aftermonths of hard work, opened its doorsat the end of January, and immediatelyset about blowing the minds ofeveryone who saw it.

Divided into a ground floor of‘shoplets’ (Terry Pratchett fans think

The Shades, everyone else think HarryPotter or The Shambles) a cobbled,weaving village of mad little shops andstreets complete with a red telephonebox and bus stop (the bus never comes,I know, I’ve waited), and two top floorsof canopied market stalls, plus a cafe(free refreshments at the moment), theattention to detail is phenomenal, as isthe vision.

Now almost full, each shoplet / stallis occupied by a small, independentbusiness either lured away from othermarkets (usually after just one look atthe place) or a start-up venture. No twoshops sell the same thing or offer thesame service (a condition of being ableto get one), and the atmosphere iswholly one of community. It’s arevelation, as evidenced by shoppersbeing stunned at the stallholdersactually being FRIENDLY, and

TALKING. It’s just not cricket in aworld of surly counter-staff and nakedconsumerism, is it?

If you’ve yet to, we urge you to getdown there, strike a blow for indepen-dence and lend them your supportbecause for all the lazy negativityconstantly spouted, there remains asmall core of people in this town busilydoing extraordinary things, and you’llfind a fair few of them in Stuff.

STUFF! WONDERFUL STUFF!

MEET THE COLLECTIVE. . .

24

Name: Tim Fisher, ‘IndulgenceConfectionary’ (Ground floor)What is Indulgence? I make very highquality, fresh hand-made chocolates - arange of unique items that are verydifferent from anything else availablein Croydon. We sell truffles, filledchocolates, lollipops, chocolate barsand drinking chocolate plus seasonalspecials.Any opening or special offers:No offers exactly but I will be runningmonthly specials and prize draws onitem purchased.How did you come to be in STUFF?

I am an award winning pastry chefand chocolatier who has run his ownchocolate business for over 3 years. I’d

been thinking about an outlet forsome time when I read about the Stuffproject.

As a teenager I used to buy Beatlesrecords in Beanos so I got to knowDavid Lashmar through being acustomer. When Beanos closed I e-mailed David to discuss the possibilityof an outlet there. We then met up fora chat and we both thoughtIndulgence Confectionery being in theStuff market would be a great idea.

I think David has great vision andwith the backing of his wonderfulteam it’s very exciting to be part ofwhat will become a great institutionlike Beanos was. It’s also been great tospend time talking to customers about

chocolate. Business-wise we have manynew customers so it’s been excellent.

I would encourage other smallbusinesses to try and get into themarket if an opportunity comes up.

INDULGENCE

Name: Sarah Swales and Peter Butler,‘Paw Prints’ (Ground floor).What is Paw Prints? Unique animalthemed clothes and accessories for kidsand adults. Our products can be seen atwww.pawprintslondon.comAny opening or special offers: 10%discount to all Deep-London readers.How did you come to be in STUFF?

I’ve been designing, printing andselling my unique range of animalproducts for nine years. It all startedwhile I was studying graphic design atCamberwell College where I specialisedin screen printing. I’ve always been a bitcrazy about animals so it made perfectsense for me to marry my two passions.So, after graduating, I completed workon a range of animal designs which Iprinted onto t-shirts in a myriad ofcolours and sizes. I opened my first stallin Camden Lock Market and met so

many people who shared my love ofanimals that pretty soon I was makinghoodies, bags, babygrows, hats andbadges sporting my range of designs.

They proved incredibly popular andI opened stalls in Covent Garden AppleMarket and Old Spitalfields Market,where I first heard about STUFF. Iwasn’t even planning on openinganother outlet but as soon as I met Timand David and saw the place they’dbuilt, I new I had to be a part of it.

It’s an incredible building and there’sa great energy and atmosphere here. I’venever seen such an exciting and uniqueshopping environment. It’s aplayground for both adults and childrenalike with some very original,independent shops and products toexplore. It’s the complete antithesis ofthe formulaic high streets and shoppingcentres that blight every town and city

in the country. The residents of Croydon are

extremely lucky to have such a uniqueplace to shop and they really should getdown there and support this fantasticventure. It will only succeed if everyonegets behind it.

PAW PRINTS

25

Name: Josh Mills, ‘Mills Sweets’ (1stFloor)What is Mills Sweets? It’s a traditionalsweet shop / stall which we builtourselves. We’ll be selling a wide rangeof nostalgic and unusual sweets. I set upthe stall/business with my girlfriend Kezand will now be working in it for thebulk of the time we’re open. How did you come to be in STUFF?

I had known that the market placewas opening for some time because mymain interest is music so I had putmyself on the Beanos mailing list whenI heard it was closing down. Then after I graduated last June the

idea of opening my own stall was tooappealing to resist - partly due to therecession there weren’t really manyinteresting and realistic alternatives.Once Kez and I had thought of theinitial idea a traditional sweet stallseemed like it would be a fun thing todo and STUFF is a unique place wherewe thought we could make it work.

I think the fate of Mills Sweets isprobably tied to the fate of STUFF andI’m excited about both. The inside ofthe building looks great and if peoplecome down to see it they won’t bedisappointed. Hopefully they’ll tell theirfriends who’ll tell their friends and so

on. I think it’s exactly what Croydonneeds and there’s nothing quite like itnearby, or perhaps, anywhere.

MILLS SWEETS

Name: Marie-Claire Ferrara, ‘Marie-Claire Aromatherapy’ (Ground floor)What is Marie-Claire Aromatherapy?

Aromatherapy is a holistic therapycombining essential oils obtained fromflowers, leaves, plants and trees withrelaxing massage to promote andmaintain health and restore a balancedstate to body and mind. I doAromatherapy back, neck and shouldermassage, facial massage, relaxing head,neck and shoulder massage and handmassage.Any opening or special offers? £5.00 offall treatment prices until 28 February2010.How did you come to be in STUFF?

I trained as an Aromatherapist underRenee Tanner, a world leader in thefields of Aromatherapy and Reflexologyand founder member of the BritishComplementary Medical Association(B.C.M.A.). I qualified in 1995 andwas doing some massages from homealong with a full time job. I wasrecently made redundant and as mysister is the bonsai editor of DeepMagazine, and a good friend of DavidLashmar, she presented me with theidea and opportunity to be a part of theamazing STUFF!

I'm very excited to be doing what Ienjoy in beautiful surroundings withsuch lovely people. I'm convinced it

will be a great success and just whatCroydon needs.

MARIE-CLAIRE

26

Name: Sally Murphy, ‘Dragon Dreads’(middle floor)What is Dragon Dreads? I am analternative hair stylist who makescolourful synthetic dreadlocks in a widerange of colours. I will be offeringinstalls, hair falls and dread starter kitsfor customers who want to have a go atinstalling dreads themselves. I also sellsteel boned corsets (all made with organiccotton), handmade retro kitsch jewellery,and handmade retro ‘Mary Jane’ shoes.

There’s more information about mycustom made dreads atwww.dragondreads.webs.com and all myrange will be for sale atwww.dragondreads.co.uk Any opening or special offers: 10% off allinstalls and custom dreads throughoutFebruary. How did you come to be in STUFF?

For the past few years I’d beenworking as a Librarian and only trading

at markets at the weekend. I startedmaking dreads about 7 years ago formyself and my hobby just got out ofhand until it became an obsession andfinally a business. Since then my rangehas expanded to include jewellery, corsetsand this year customising shoes. I loveshowing off my products and get realpleasure from people enjoying them.Recently I realised how much I lovetrading and crafting - it doesn’t feel likework and it’s very empowering to be yourown boss. It was a very scary step tomake but I’m so glad I’ve done it.

Taking up the stall has also given methe confidence to bring out my own lineof dread kits If I hadn’t taken up David’soffer of a stall I would always think ‘whatif?’. Sometimes it’s worth taking risks andI hope this one will pay off!

I’m excited about Stuff as I feel itincorporates the spirit of what Camdenmarket and the like used to be. The

building itself has such history andcharacter that it’s great to see its rebirth. Iwanted to be part of Stuff also because ofthe community David has built amongstthe stall holders. The place has a greatatmosphere and I’m looking forward tocoming to work and having a laugh withall the new friends I’ve made.

DRAGON DREADS

Name: Genevieve Yeboah, ‘Cakes ByGen’ (Top floor)What is Cakes By Gen? I bake and sell avariety of homemade cakesAny opening or special offers? 10%discount on all orders duringFebruaryHow did you come to be in STUFF?

Before STUFF I worked in HR butfor the past 3 years I have been a stayat home mother. I decided to returnto work last year but due to therecession, there were little or noopportunities. I then began baking athome for friends and family and Ireceived a lot of good feedback so Idecided to see if I could turn it into abusiness. I first started selling at car

boot sales, which is where I met AilsaGarlick, and she told me aboutSTUFF.

STUFF is definitely one of the bestmarkets I have seen in London. It’svery unique and each shoplet / stalloffers something different. David,Tim and the whole STUFF team havebeen extremely helpful and supportivein helping me set up my stall and Iwould encourage anyone interested instarting a business to come and have alook. I’m very excited about my newstall and so far I have had a very goodresponse. I hope things continue to gowell for myself and the other tenants.

I offer good quality cakes atreasonable prices and I also take orders

so please contact me for more detailsor come and visit me at STUFF.(n.b: we’ve tried the cakes, they’re lovely -Ed)

CAKES BY GEN

Name: Sally Hebden, ‘SH Creations’(Ground floor)What is SH Creations? I make and sellfascinators and hair accessories.Any opening or special offers? Feather /ribbon headbands are £12 each or 2for £22How did you come to be in STUFF?

I have been making fascinators for 4years as a hobby, and was offeredredundancy at my previous workplaceat the same time as I enquired aboutSTUFF. I took this as an opportunityto do what I love doing on a

permanent basis. It is an adventure into the unknown

for me, becoming self employed,managing my own business, plus,STUFF being a new concept inCroydon and needing to supportbuilding this as a new businessinitiative. It is very exciting journey tobe on, in a very exciting place. Thepeople I have met are fantastic and weare starting to work as a team already, Iam really looking forward to what thenext few months will bring!

SH CREATIONS

27

Name: Josie and Kelly, ‘Wags Ooh LaLa’ (Ground floor)What is Wags Ooh La La? We’re a dogboutique for dogs of all shapes andsizes. We offer coats & collars both foreveryday use or those special ‘red-carpet’ occasions.Any opening or special offers: Lead andmatching collar for £10 while stockslast. Also, spend £30 or more get afree carpet pet hair remover until28th February 2010. How did you come to be in STUFF?

Since 1994 Josie has beensuccessfully breeding, and still shows,miniature Yorkshire Terriers, and afteryears of experience in the humanbeauty industry, she decided toconcentrate her efforts on becoming afully qualified and professional animal

groomer. She qualified at GuildfordCollege. Josie’s daughter Kelly hasjoined forces with her Mum to createthe Wags emporium. With theirexperience and passion for fashion inall things pink, sparkly and beautifulthey felt they could bring glitz andglamour to the dog world at affordableprices. Wags only sell high qualityfashionable attire guaranteed to turnheads. Kelly says, “If it wasn’t for ourdogs trying and testing all of ourproducts then I wouldn’t be happyselling them”

“We had been looking forsomewhere to showcase our businessfor ages before we found STUFF. Wenever thought we’d be as overwhelmedand excited as we were when we saw it,David and his team have created an

unique indoor village with a greatatmosphere - everyone is so friendlyand welcoming.

“We knew instantly that STUFFrepresented our the type of business wehave; unique, quirky and definitelydifferent!” www.wagsoohlala.com

WAGS OOH LA LA

Name: Agnes Mannah, ‘Aggy’s SaucesOf Hope’ (top floor)What are Aggy’s Sauces Of Hope? Thesauces are my own recipes, made bycombining unique African herbs andspices. They have an exquisite tasteand distinct aroma that appeals toboth the African and Western palates.

I started making them for myfamily some 20 years ago, but afteryears of constant demand I nowproduce them for sale, and to lend anew and exciting flavour to the saucemarket. The sauces have gained amomentum of their own and byexpanding the range from the initialchilli and chicken marinades, 'Aggy'sSauces' now have four different

flavours. They are sauces of hope because

they fund a foundation to feed andcare for orphaned African childrenwhose parents have died from AIDs -every bottle sold provides 1 meal a dayfor a child in Africa.

The foundation will providechildren with a stable home in a lovingenvironment with parents, brothersand sisters, thus preventing the needfor them to be moved back and forthbetween foster homes or even, in theworst cases, be left to fend forthemselves, as is the case with themajority of AIDS orphans. (Amarvellous reason to buy one of theseauthentic and original sauces, but if you

need another, we’ve tried them and theyreally are fantastic - Ed). More info andsome tasty recipes are available fromwww.aggyssauces.com

AGGY’S SAUCES

Name: Maria and Antonio deMendoza, ‘DeMEC Jewellers’ (Groundfloor)What is DeMEC? Eco-friendlyjewellery both in Vegetable Ivory andPearls and exotic Sea Shells.Any opening or special offers: 10%discount over 2 or more pieces.How did you come to be in STUFF?

We started our business 7 and a halfyears ago when we decided to movefrom our native Colombia to start anew life on this side of the planet.

Having a great passion aboutdesign and creation, colours and forms

and being very environmentally aware,we discovered on our arrival that eventhough Vegetable Ivory had beenfound over 3 centuries ago in SouthAmerican rainforests and had beenvery popular from the Victorian era upto the fifties, people were not aware ofits existance. It is the only natural and100% sustainable substitute for Ivory.

We were referred to STUFF by afriend last November, fell in love withthe project and the people running itand decided to be part of it. There'snothing like it anywhere else. It’soriginal, creative, loving and fun! Just

like our Jewellery!DEMEC JEWELLERS

28

Name: Debbie Evershed, ‘Brackit’ (topfloor), designer of Platinum awardwinning Frog BracKit - BritishInvention Show 2008.What is BracKit? The Frog BracKit is amulti hanging system, great forgardens, or indoors - the various barattachments enable the user to hang anumber of hanging baskets andbirdfeeders in one place.

The Frog attaches to a fence post orwall. Indoors it can also be used tohang fruit and veg up, keeping kitchencounters clear and the food away frommice. Other uses have includedsuspending a glass artist’s sculpture,

and above a baby’s bed with manymobiles hanging form it. The choicesare yours to make, as to what youwant to hang. How did you come to be in STUFF?

BracKit moved to Stuff after asuccessful but freezing cold tradingperiod before Xmas at GreenwichMarket. STUFF has a greatatmosphere, retro décor and goodmusic playing all day, which makes fora friendly relaxed shopping experience.

Forget the Croydon corporate fluff,and come to STUFF! (LIKE IT! - Ed)

More info from www.frogbrackit.com

BRACKIT

Name: Romano Macauley and SimoneHutchinson, ‘Calabash’ (Ground floor)What is Calabash? We sell arts andsculpture, cultural literature, jewelleryand homeware.How did you come to be in STUFF?

We have been market tradingcasually for 2 years, and have done afew festivals and community events.We heard about Stuff through a friendand Romano, having been a Beanoscustomer for a number of years, wasintrigued as were looking into tradingmore on a full time basis.

When we saw the transformation of

Beanos we loved the idea and theme,and were eager to get on board as wefelt it went well with what we do.

We have been able to be creativewith our decor and are pleased withthe outcome. We hope we have createdwarm and comfortable surroundingsthat people will want to stop in,browse through the books and findthat perfect item they don't want toleave without.

We believe that what Stuff hascreated is something new and uniqueto Croydon and will be somewherepeople want to shop.

CALABASH

Name: Ailsa Garlick, ‘Coucou Heart’(first floor)What is Coucou Heart? Handmadejewellery, especially using vintagecharms and unusual items like watchmechanisms; and giftsHow did you come to be in STUFF?

I have worked in Supply Chain forlarge consumer goods companies forseveral years, however, I have alwaysmade things and yearned to dosomething creative full time. So, I left

my job last October, in order topursue this full time.

I was so excited the first time I wentto visit David at Stuff last year - theplace was still being built but alreadylooked amazing. I feel like this placereally fits in with my style and interestsso is a great place to launch my newbusiness. It is brilliant to be able tounleash my creative side at last andhopefully be able to make a livingfrom it!

COUCOU HEART

MORE STUFF!:Baby Clothes,Slate Art,Hand-madeKaleidoscopes, Flowers, T-shirts,Pagan Supplies,Jewellery andmuch more!!

29

30