Soho so good as retro gets into gear

Soho, in the town’s busy Darwin Shopping Centre, has just moved into bigger premises on the Centre’s middle level and added new ranges to its quirky collection of products.

They are now Shrewsbury’s premier suppliers of skateboards and scooters as well as stockists of a wide range of retro and vintage clothing and their eclectic mix of Goth, punk and emo fashions.

Soho owner Hazel Vousden also has four other stores in Liverpool, Manchester, Chester and Leeds and she said: “We really needed to find somewhere bigger here in Shrewsbury because it has allowed us to expand our range.

“We’ve been here in Shrewsbury for 25 years and it has been a very popular store but because it was so small it was easy for people to miss it and it also meant we were limited in what we could offer.

“Now people can see we’re not just all Gothic and things are going well. The skateboards and scooters are proving popular and so is the vintage clothing.

“What we’re really about is being individual and different. We offer something you won’t find in the big chains and department stores, something unusual and different that sets you out from the crowd.”

Store Manager Jayne Ralphs, from Mardol, said: “It’s a bit of an adventure expanding like this but hopefully other shops will follow our lead.

“We’ve been very busy since the move and it’s made a big difference to us because we have increased our retail area by four or five times which has meant we can put a lot more stock out and bring in new ranges.

“The young people have been very enthusiastic about the skateboards and scooters because there wasn’t really anywhere else they could go to get them.

“The vintage clothing is also going very well and we’ve got people of all ages from teenagers to 70-year-olds coming in for that.

“It’s very good quality and it’s very keenly priced so it’s great value and people are responding to that.”

Shrewsbury Shopping Centres Operations Manager Russell Hall said: “Soho have been with us for a long time and we’re delighted that they have decided to expand.

“It’s always important to have a good mix of stores and Soho offer something that’s alternative and original and interesting and they add to the retail offer we have here and that’s what makes Shrewsbury attractive as a shopping destination.”

Soho in Shrewsbury employs three staff and while there are no immediate plans to increase numbers they are expecting to increase staff hours and Hazel Vousden added: “This gives us much more of a presence and that’s made a difference.

“More people notice us now and that means they come in and see what we have to offer and what we offer is different to everyone else.

“We’ve been designing and making our alternative wear collections for the past 20 years, and we’re selling online as well, UK-wide and internationally to people who want something that’s an alternative to high-street fashion.

“We like to think we take our inspiration from our customers and we listen to them – what’s hot evolves on the street and people customise their own outfits and we’re very aware of this and are always looking at ways to make this easier.

“Our range is very much mix-and-match with a choice of accessories and jewellery and now we’re in bigger premises we can showcase so much more of it.”