Mitch keeps it retro as new Kettering gift shop proves popular

A woman who started making products to help with her mental health says the reaction to her new Kettering gift shop has been amazing.

Michelle Robertson, known as Mitch, opened Kitsch Mitch at The Yards in November and it has become a popular spot for shoppers searching for items that stray a little from the norm.

She had previously sold her products at The Bean Hive alongside other traders with an online business growing over the past two years.

She said: “I started off with handmade jewellery, badges and stickers and I was selling them in The Bean Hive and online. Then as public demand grew, my house started to overflow with the products that I was making, and I needed more room."

But her current venture does not come without its challenges.

She said: “There is a lot of range when it comes to what I make and sell, it’s not just lunchboxes and mugs and the designs are quite niche. I have to find the right supplier to create a certain type of product, which sometimes makes things quite expensive because niche products can’t be manufactured in bulk.”

The niche style of the shop has made it popular with those looking for something they can’t find anywhere else.

Mitch said: “I would describe my shop as retro, a mix between the 80s and 90s. It’s very funky and fun!

“There is a lot of pop culture but also sub-culture and alternative art inspired things. All the products have something to do with my interest, so it’s nice to see customers reactions to them when they walk in.”

Mitch suffers from mental health issues and her venture as a shop owner has helped her deal with it in a creative way that brings joy to members of her community.

She added: “I have anxiety and that means I am often second guessing myself, but I have got a lot of support from my family and the Bean Hive staff that have helped me come this far. The shop itself is very therapeutic, I get into my retail head and my anxiety disappears.

"I started making products to help with my mental health and it’s amazing when I stop and think about where I am now.”