It’s the city’s business
CARDIFFWORKS CARDIFF Indies, unite
Ever feel like you want to support independent shops but don’t know where to go so you nip to the chain stores for ease? Well that needn’t worry you anymore because Cardiff Indie Collective has the answer. The collective of independent businesses around the city has completed a crowdfunder to build a website that will showcase small independents in Cardiff to make shopping locally for gifts, art, homeware, wellbeing and food and drink a doddle.
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he founder of Cardiff Indie Collective is Rhian Pitt, a small business owner in Cardiff who, a couple of years ago, started Cardiff Gift Exchange on Instagram, which was launched a few days before Black Friday as an alternative for small businesses who couldn’t compete with the chain stores. “We had our own ‘Green Friday’ where we swapped our services and products between us
and discovered some new businesses and made some new friends along the way,” says Rhian. “And Cardiff Indie Collective sort of came from that really. It felt like there were all these self-employed/sole traders – many working from home, with no colleagues, often full of self-doubt about their work or their business – so it felt really important to create a community in which they could feel a part of something and feel supported by others. Rhian explains, “The crowdfunder had around 40 businesses, including Pettigrew
Bakes, Eartha Store, Carta & Wood and Ameow Designs, offering rewards. We reached above our target so we have enough to build the website, get some loyalty cards printed and do the marketing. “The website, which will be finished in November, will be first and foremost a directory to help people shop locally – it’s Cardiff’s answer to Amazon! (Got to aim high, right?!). So many people want to shop locally but don’t know where to start so it is a go-to place where they can search through the local indies for what they need,
before resorting to chain stores. “The loyalty card will be able to be used in participating businesses who will each set their own offers and discounts,” she adds. “Local indies will be holding events and workshops – such as meet the makers and arts trails – for the general public, and there will be events for businesses, such as networking, and workshops to help with marketing, web analytics, tax and all the things we don’t always know when we start a business.” For more: www.cardiffindiecollective.co.uk
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