‘We can’t alter the difficult times, we just have to endure them - and we also have to stay optimistic’
Leicester is home to many homegrown, independent businesses, from restaurants and cafes to beauty and clothing. Before the pandemic, the Mercury spoke to young entrepreneurs about starting new businesses during what was already a high street slump. A year
THIS year marked EmmaMae Parry’s second year in business. The 24-year-old florist opened her Queens Road shop, The Bloom Project, in 2019. Earlier this year, Emma “dreaded what was going to happen” as the nation anticipated a lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
She told the Mercury: “Everyone was talking about the lockdown happening and it was the week before Mother’s Day, which usually brings in a lot of money for me so I was thinking ‘please please please, let me just get through this week’.”
The UK went into lockdown on March 23, a day after Mother’s Day and, inevitably, Emma had to close.
“I spent 10 days just figuring out what I can and can’t do with the business and then took it online.
“I didn’t know what to expect, so I just moved online to see what people would be interested in and it took off from there,” she said.
It didn’t take long before Emma was receiving orders from “all over Leicester” and noticed her flower subscription service was becoming popular - which she put down to people practising “self-care and indulging in nice things” during lockdown.
Despite losing out on weddings this year, Emma said her takings for April compared with last year were actually “much higher”.
The 24-year-old, who runs the shop alone, said she was “grateful not to have staff” who would have had to be furloughed.
Social media has played a significant role in the success of The Bloom Project, alongside Emma’s skill and dedication.
“I think the whole situation has made me engage (with social media) more honestly and authentically. I think the passion draws people in,” she said.
As for next year, although there is still a lot of uncertainty, the young florist said she is “taking it as it comes” and remains “grateful” that she can carry on.
“To be honest, I’ve actually enjoyed the challenge. I’ve always been a positive person,” she said.
SOPHIA Atai and Krish Ganda both took the plunge into self-employment last year when they opened a separate hair salon and beauty salon respectively. After investing heavily into their businesses, this year they were hit with extended restrictions imposed on the beauty industry, as well as the local lockdown.
Sophia, who is 22, launched Sophia’s Hair Studio in Wigston last year. She said: “Neither of us thought that we would have such a rollercoaster of a time during our first year in business.”
Krish, 23, is now marking her year in business after launching beauty studio Oh So Pretty in 2019.
She said: “It’s been an incredibly difficult time as, just as we thought we could open again in July, we had the local lockdown in Leicester, and then as a beautician, the services I was allowed to offer were limited.”
But now, the pair are back on their feet having worked hard to rebuild their clientele.
Sophia said she was delighted to see “business booming” again with both new and old customers walking through their doors.
She added: “Health and safety measures have been increased so that we comply with all government guidelines and we can now make up for lost time and hopefully look forward to the future.”
INDEPENDENT coffee shop owner Omar Sacranie was questioning how his business would survive when the lockdown was announced.
Saints of Mokha, on Evington Road, was a hub of activity before the lockdown and popular for its coffee art and coffee enthusiast owner.
“It was a mixed bag of emotions at the start - when the pandemic became a big thing in the UK, we thought about how we would adjust,” he said.
Omar and his team decided to sell latte powders for home brewing and vouchers to use once the shop had reopened to “see us through”.
But for Omar, who was used to his brick and mortar business, the online retail world was very new.
He told the Mercury: “Through the lockdown we had to completely adjust - overnight we switched to a different market.
“The other thing was that deliveries for things such as ingredients and packaging were delayed.
“We were figuring out another avenue of our business while one of our staff members was furloughed. “It was like working in the dark.” Saints of Mokha qualified for a £10,000 grant during lockdown but Omar questions how far the amount could really carry any business.
When the shop could eventually reopen, the Eat Out to Help Out scheme gave the business a boost.
Omar said: “We knew things wouldn’t be completely normal, given the circumstances, but we were so glad to see customers again.
“I had messages from people who had met for a first date in the shop and are now married saying how glad they were that we’re still going.
“I actually think the general public have a new-found appreciation for essential and local workers.”
Now, since the coronavirus threat level has risen from three to four, the country is again anticipating further lockdown restrictions which could be another big challenge for these businesses.
“We can’t change the difficult times, we just have to endure them - if my head drops, everyone’s does,” said Omar.
“We also have to be optimistic.”