A STALYBRIDGE shop has seen what was happening literally on its doorstep and brought it indoors by opening a new café.
And the addition to Magpie’s Nest is proving a smash hit.
Known for selling handbags, scarves, jewellery and homeware items, the store which stands on both Armentieres Square and Melbourne Street, has turned its first floor into a relaxing spot where people can have a coffee, cake or a toasted sandwich.
And owner Liz Hanley revealed she did not have to look far for inspiration.
She said: “When they started Stalybridge Street Fest, organisers explained what it would be and told us in Stockport there’s an opticians that got involved and eventually turned itself into a bar.
“I said, ‘That’s a really cool idea. We couldn’t do anything like that, could we?’
“So we put in the proper applications, set up and it proved really popular with everyone. At every Street Fest, it got more and more popular.
“During the run-up to Christmas, customers kept coming up to me and said, ‘Is it only when Street Fest is on? Can you not keep it and make it more regular?’
“So we said, ‘We’ll try it as a pop up over Christmas and see what people think.’ We had feedback forms and got 450 back saying, ‘Please keep it, we really enjoy it.’ So we did.”
After such a wave of public opinion, Liz decided the first floor would be converted into the café, with the main window offering a great view of Armentieres Square.
And so far, the decision has not backfired, as Liz added: “I think it’s exceeded our hopes as it’s only been properly open for two months.
“We’re still finding our feet really and learning what works both for the business and our customers.
“But we’ve always had the space upstairs and never really done anything proper with it. As long as it’s busy and people seem to enjoy the space, we’ll keep it going.”
Often packed when Street Fest is on, and a hub for local councillors and MPs, the café specialises in locally-made, fresh products, so there are knock-on benefits.
“That means the business is staying local,” Liz said. “Rather than going out of the area to a big wholesaler.
“And the café complements our business as customers were always asking, ‘Where can we go for a good cup of coffee or a bit of lunch?’ It was really limited, especially on certain days.
“There was a bit of a need there but I’m definitely glad I did it. You’ve got to be prepared to do something different and take a bit of a risk sometimes.”
• Magpie’s Nest can be found at 30 Armentieres Square in Stalybridge but can also be accessed from Melbourne Street.
If you want to book a table in the café, you can call 0161 338 8262.