Corby gift shop owner celebrates first year in business

l-r Anita (sales assistant) and Brian Marsh

A Corby gift shop owner has celebrated his first anniversary of trading in his home town after surviving one of the trickiest years for business ever.

Brian Marsh, proprietor of The Present Shop in Willow Place, chose to move his gift emporium from Daventry to Corby to support the town of his birth.

Although the shop has been trading for a year, the Covid pandemic meant that he's only been able to open for nine of those months.

Mr Marsh, 42, said: "When Covid hit we had to close for three months, but when we re-opened, straight away it went back to being really great. There's always birthdays and anniversaries.

"We sell lots of porcelain lights, jewellery, bath bombs, bags, gifts, and treats and our gothic gift range has been very popular. Our range of Corby gifts sells really well."

The former Pope John and Kingswood pupil switched from a career in training to retail, starting off with buying and selling online, moving on to taking on a shop in Daventry.

He said that as well as being home, Corby offers a much better footfall.

Mr Marsh added: "We got the grant from the council which helped us. We are getting so many regulars. We are going to survive."

To mark the shop's first anniversary they are running a free competition with the draw taking place on Sunday, October 18.

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