Little Julie’s Baby Boutique will have its final day of trading at Romford Shopping Hall on Saturday (October 25), as owner Julie Little prepares to move back to Pitsea Market.
The shop started life as a market stall before joining more than 30 independent businesses at the shopping hall in August last year.
Despite a move from its original first floor unit to a smaller space downstairs over summer, the store was still not getting enough footfall to cover costs, Julie said.
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She told the Recorder: “I was finding it hard – footfall wasn’t as I expected.
“I think just generally people haven’t got the money or they don’t necessarily know we’re here.
“Even moving down, as much as taking has picked up a little bit, you’re still getting to the end of each month not really taking enough to cover all the outgoings.
“That dream still lives on just to have my own little shop, open the door, it’s all set up.
“That will always be with me.”
Julie emphasised that it is not the end of the road for her baby boutique, however, as she has secured a stall at Pitsea Market, in Basildon, on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Customers will also still be able to order products via the website, and Julie hopes to grow her business’s online presence on the days she is not at the market.
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The aim is to return to Pitsea on November 1 – after packing up the Romford Shopping Hall unit from this Sunday – but Julie expects it to be a while before she is “established” again.
“There’s always been that little bit still inside that has missed the market and the customers that come in and it’s lovely to see them.
“I know I’ve got to go back in, I’ve got to get back established and build that trust again.
“It’s hard because I’ve got to meet a lot of people [at Romford Shopping Hall] and there’s still new customers coming in.
“It’s that community spirit that I will miss.”
