A woman has realised her dreams in opening her own craft and gift store in Ayr town.
Lesley Beales has opened Bea Crafts and Gifts on Smith Street offering a range of goodies from various suppliers including cards, candles, jewellery, bags, glass ornaments and pet accessories.
Lesley, 55, not only sells her own cards, paintings and handiworks but also supports Scottish crafters by allowing them to rent a shelf in her shop to sell their products.
Lesley, who lives in Coylton, said: “It’s like a kind of mini market.
“There’s 27 different crafters. All of them are from Scotland, a lot are local and some up in Glasgow way.
“They rent a space and whatever they sell they get 100 per cent.
“It’s supporting them and allowing them to have a High Street presence without the outlay."
“I’ll try anything,” she said.
“If someone comes in and wants a particular product or something personalised, I’ll say ‘tell me your idea and I’ll try it’.
“I never throw anything out either because I just use everything."
But Lesley, whose husband John owns another gift shop in the town, The Wise Penny on Ayr’s Newmarket Street, is keen to encourage customers to ‘use us or lose us’.
She said: “So many people come in here and say ‘this is exactly what Ayr needs’, but you need to support it.
“Even if you can’t afford to buy anything, share it on Facebook, tell your friends or share the word, even something as small as that.
“I understand when the economy is so bad but you either use it or you lose it.
“But it’s early days for me and I’m not about to quit just yet!"
Bea Crafts and Gifts is open Thursday to Saturday from 10am, with Lesley soon to announce late night Christmas shopping dates complete with mulled wine and mince pies.
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