Leisha owner of GutsyGingers began her journey many years ago as a teenage travelling and expanding her knowledge working as a henna artist, the journey took her on many an adventure, meeting many artisans and crafts people along the way...Little did she know at the time that they would be the future suppliers of a shop she would run??!! Initially taking her wares from travels & her henna art to f
estivals across the country and getting quite a reputation for her outstanding freehand henna works of art she was constantly asked if she had a 'base' a shop. After trading at Whitbys world music 'Musicport Festival' for the 1st time in 2001 where nigh on everyone there asked if GutsyGingers had a shop it was there that the seed was planted and plans began to hatch! Leisha began contacting all the interesting creative people she had met on the journey so far... Samples and drawings were exchanged and GutsyGingers handmade & fairtrade designs began to emmerge...
In 2003 GutsyGinger bit the bullet and took a leap of faith (selling most of her belongings to pay the 1st 3 months rent!!) & found 'her space', which later she believes and always describe it as forces out of her control which brought her to this little corner in whitby! Initially beginning with 39 items of stock in one room and against all odds now has expanded the business over 10 years to 3 floors crammed, often alike end to 'Aladdins Cave' with treasures from across the globe, mostly from countries where henna holds its routes - India, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia etc. GutsyGingers prides itself on exclusive unique designs in all silver jewellery & lots of Clothing lines and that 70% of stock over 3 floors is made from recycled materials... Leisha says this is the result of 10 years hard work, people often come into the shop and say they would love to run a business like this and could I give them some suppliers to do it..people don't realise the amount of market research that goes into bringing all elements together in an ethical manor under one roof & keep it fresh and excite the customers with the stock lines like GutsyGingers does, the nomination for top UK Alternative Independent Retailer (By Alt fashion & Culture Magazine 2013) proves that :-)
The shop now sells such a unique array of handmade clothes, furniture, lighting, Jewellery & accessories that it draws people from across the globe to visit!! GutsyGingers customer base ranges from the small child to the gregarious gran, from the festival goer to the weekly whitby local... there's something for everyone
To add to GutsyGingers uniquness is the 10% ginger discount policy! "It was one of the opening rules " says leisha laughing :-) " Us gingers must unite !" Above the shop signage hangs a little sign that simply says "Are you Ginger? Simply take your photo outside 'GutsyGingers' & post with your name to www.facebook.com/GutsyGingers and you go in the 'Ginger Book' at the till for life :-)
Leisha, owner of gutsygingers was amazed when she heard the news that the shop had been nominated for the Alt award and had come out in the top 3 !!! It came as a great shock and lovely suprise... When asked how she felt about getting nominated , Leisha said - " Im overwhelmed, as any sole trader knows, its hard running a business ( extra hard with a 2 year old!!) especially in this current financial climate. You get so focused in ploughing thru the list of things there are to do each day to keep the shop alive, so to get this news of the nomination it makes you feel warm inside ... that you ARE doing something worthwhile and that more people than you could ever imagine really appreciate what you do... Ive always said that anyone can open a shop but you need people to run it !! Seems GutsyGingers certainly has that!! :-)
