Caroline brings her treasure trove to Kettering with new shop

Shoppers visiting Kettering will have a new treasure trove to delve into today (Saturday) when an Irthlingborough woman opens her store.

Caroline Dumpleton, 45, will open the doors to her Gold Street shop at 10am after moving it from Raunds to Kettering.

Caroline's Treasure Trove, in the unit next to second-hand video games shop CeX by the Newlands Shopping Centre, will sell craft items and gifts such as stationery, office supplies, notebooks, picture frames, photo albums, colouring books and more.

The shop, which will be open from Monday to Saturday, will also sell clothes and shoes, some pre-loved and some new.

Caroline said: "I used to be in Kettering years ago but someone wanted the property and I moved.

"We've had an amazing response on Facebook about the new shop."

Caroline had her shop in Raunds for a year, but was only able to trade for about three months because of Covid restrictions.

She said it left her struggling and needing to move elsewhere.

She said: "It's been really tough for us and we've had a bit of a dark cloud hanging over us because of Covid.

"Every business has struggled."

Away from her shop Caroline is a very busy woman as she is a mum of 13 children.

And today is an extra special today as one of her daughters, Shantelle, turns 16. She will be helping out at the shop over the summer.

Every customer who goes to the shop today will be given a raffle ticket and be in with a chance of winning a voucher for £15, £10 or £5 to spend in-store.

Caroline said: "I'm very excited but also a bit scared - we hope the people of Kettering will come and support us."

Caroline, who will be helped by others after being told to slow down by doctors for health reasons, added that she is grateful for the help of friend Steve Kennedy, who has been going to the shop to decorate every day after he finishes his own job.