An arts and crafts business has bounced back by opening its brand new shop – a year after closing down its shopping centre store.

Romford Recorder: Natasha and Jay Necati at their arts and crafts business in Harold HillNatasha and Jay Necati at their arts and crafts business in Harold Hill (Image: Archant)

Crafty Arts in Bryant Avenue, Harold Wood, opened to customers on Monday after growing trade on their online platform prompted the 23-year-old family business to open up a shop once more.

The business, which had modest beginnings in Ardleigh Green, Hornchurch, eventually made its way to the Lakeside shopping centre in Grays and then to the Bluewater shopping centre.

Crafty Arts also opened a large branch in Brentwood before closing it and their Bluewater branch as their online platform flourished

Owner Jay Necati, of Collier Row, who works with dad Nik, said: “It’s been a big stretch but we have pushed to do it and we’re delighted.”

Romford Recorder: Jay Necati in the warehouseJay Necati in the warehouse (Image: Archant)

After closing up shop, the family bought a stock warehouse in Harold Wood to cope with online demand, but things weren’t quite the same.

The 31-year-old shop owner explained: “We had a lot of interest at the warehouse but we weren’t allowed to have people walk through – for insurance reasons – so we decided that we needed to have a public premises once again.”

The new shop will host arts and crafts workshops in-store to complement the range of products stocked.

“Online, we’ve tried to bring that shop element but it’s impossible to recreate it exactly. You can’t provide that face-to-face experience or create a social environment for customers.”

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