Miss Pauleys- Pop-up To Permanent
TestTown People: Miss Pauleys- Pop-up To Permanent
Participants
Emma Pauley, Miss Pauley’s Furniture, Craft and Gift Store
About the project
Emma Pauley was part of ‘Back on the High Street’, a team which won TestTown 2013. Being from Dunfermline and spurred on by the investment and support received, Emma went on to open ‘Miss Pauley’s, her own shop based around her original concept. ‘Miss Pauley’s is a small gift shop, gallery and workspace which provides a platform for local artists and makers to showcase and sell their work. Emma also runs craft workshops and craft birthday parties. Like any start-up, Emma has been on a steep learning curve opening up her shop. As she acknowledges ‘TestTown gave me a seed of opportunity, but the next stage of actually opening up a shop was difficult and more support and access to advice would have been beneficial.’
“TestTown pushed me to the limit, it was exciting and allowed me to take risks with nothing to lose.”
She believes there is currently a gap for what she describes as a ‘Citizens Advice type body for new town centre businesses.’ ‘Looking back, even if someone could have walked me through the different types of leases and the terms and key phrases used, this would have made the experience easier.’ However, although she would do things differently, she would do it all again. She is looking forward to developing and expanding her business, focusing on producing and marketing her own artwork alongside developing the workshops. She also uses her experience to help other start-up businesses offering consultancy to organisations including Rosyth’s Community Market and Scotland’s Towns Partnership. ‘TestTown pushed me to the limit, it was exciting and allowed me to take risks with nothing to lose. It is a worthwhile concept and one which should continue.’
