'Girl', created by Derry local business owners Han* and Sass and Halo, introduces a joint workshop and shop, stocking female-led businesses in the Craft Village, with the aim of lifting up female businesses in the North.
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00:00My name is Hannah and I own Han Cluesen and my name is Aoife and I own Sass and T'Halo.
00:06Can you tell me what's upcoming? There's a big collaboration happening and just tell me a wee bit about it.
00:13Myself and Aoife are taking over this one space in the Craft Village and it is going to transform into a brand new shop called Gairn
00:21which is a fashion lifestyle store stocking only female led businesses.
00:28Can you tell me what inspired this? You've both had different storefronts.
00:33I've been here 8 years and Hannah's been here 7 years and over that time we've became essentially colleagues and very good friends
00:43and we confide in each other quite a lot on all things business and the difficulties of running a business and the overheads
00:50and then we just decided why don't we collaborate and try and do it together instead and also bring on other small businesses
00:59that we know are amazing and try and support them as well.
01:03Were you friends beforehand or did you become friends through?
01:08Weird story actually Aoife left her job to pursue Sass and T'Halo and I took her job in a shop in town.
01:15Retail space.
01:17And about 6 months after then I left that job to come here so we just kind of landed in the same space at the same time.
01:25I've always really admired what Aoife did and we're very similar in how things have kind of played out for us as well.
01:32We're only 6 months between us and when we started business so like we're very much on the same path with business
01:38and also motherhood as well. Aoife's wee Gairn's 1, mine's is 2 so we relate on a lot of different levels.
01:44It was like a slow process to becoming very good friends, very organic and beautiful.
01:51What can Bone of Day especially expect from this collective, is that what you call it?
01:57A collective yeah.
01:59Well me and Aoife are going to share the responsibilities as the business owners but then we're bringing in 6 other female led businesses
02:10that we'll be selling as well.
02:12To start with?
02:14To start with. So we're hoping just to have a different offering for people to come and view and know that it's all female led businesses.
02:21I think the idea is like you know if you want to get a really nice gift or a really cool present for yourself.
02:27Exactly. It'll be like a one stop shop so there'll be my, what I offer is flyers, headwear, all that kind of thing.
02:34Hannah obviously has her street wear but there's lots of other cool businesses on board as well and also a range of prices.
02:42So you know we're not going to be trying to.
02:44Something they said to everybody.
02:46Exactly.
02:48Can you let me know any other businesses that you're planning on having here or selling perhaps?
02:52Yeah we can.
02:54Can I guess one?
02:55Go on then.
02:56Flossie?
02:57No actually. The girls from Flossie are nail techs full time so Flossie is a side project but hopefully we'll be able to bring them in as a pop up.
03:05I think like the collective, the girl is the name, the concept is quite expandable so like we are here to support all, all businesses but this is all female led businesses.
03:19And I think it can grow like we want to do pop ups with businesses that maybe doesn't sit having a concession in store.
03:25And maybe even events like it's a buildable brand.
03:30Yes.
03:32Any ones that you want to share?
03:34So we have Nomada. She does beautiful jewelry.
03:38Handmade jewelry.
03:39Handmade.
03:40And also just to mention as well that it has brands from across Northern Ireland.
03:44It's not just Derry.
03:45And Donegal.
03:46And Donegal.
03:47We have Orla Vera who makes sustainably sourced handmade leather handbags.
03:52Nicola Irvine does these beautiful colourful prints of mostly Irish landscape.
04:00Landscape, yeah.
04:01And then we have Jo Strangford as well who is another print artist too.
04:06So all women from all different areas, walks of life, backgrounds.
04:10Ages.
04:11So really interesting.
04:14We could, it could change.
04:16Like this isn't who it's going to be forever.
04:18Like we're very aware things change in business all the time.
04:22We could end up with 20.
04:24We could end up with less than that.
04:26We just, we want to get started and see where it goes really.
04:29Is it important for you, for Gofeast, you know, they create a space for women in the area, in the North.
04:35I don't know, I'll say it.
04:37I didn't have that experience.
04:38But is it hard to find female led products here?
04:42I would say no.
04:44Like in my experience, like I've run the markets here and most of the vendors are women.
04:48And that's like, in my experience, a lot of the time is women are trying to balance another job
04:54or they've got kids and they're trying to find a new way to bring in income without missing their kids' childhood or whatever.
05:01Just like me and Aoife, we're very flexible because of that.
05:04And so I'm not going to lie, we haven't really been stuck for finding people to bring in.
05:09We're more about picking who would be right and who dairy people would love to spend with.
05:14Yeah, and also like we're in the village, there's other collectives about,
05:18so we're trying to find things that, you know, aren't already available here
05:21and something a bit different to bring a new customer into the craft village, essentially.
05:26What's your feelings coming on now?
05:29Excited and nervous.
05:31Ready, ready for change.
05:33Yeah, big change.
05:35It feels like natural progression.
05:37It doesn't feel like something very jarring.
05:39It feels like this is the right move for both of us going forward.
05:43And I'm quite excited about sharing the responsibility of running the business as well.
05:47Me and Aoife are the same, but different.
05:50So, you know, we have different strengths and weaknesses
05:53and I feel like we'll work really, really well together on this.
05:56Yeah, and even sharing, with being mommies, sharing the time that we have to be here,
06:02there's a weight off your shoulders.
06:04I could probably sell more if I could be there all the time.
06:07I can't be there all the time, so we're really going to be mixing up the days.
06:11And as mommies, it's really important to, you know, be at home with your family,
06:14but also I want to have a successful business, which has been difficult.
06:19Like, my baby's only one, so I didn't really have a maternity leave.
06:23It's crazy. Some people wouldn't even be back to work yet.
06:25I feel like I actually never have been off.
06:27So it's a really different experience being a mommy and being a business owner.
06:32And it's exciting to do it together.
06:36How's the general recession been, the online and the Hathcuba Scotia in person about it?
06:41Oh yes, lots of both of those things.
06:43Really positive.
06:45A lot of, how have we not done this before? And I'm like, I don't know.
06:50This is just the right time. It always happens at the right time, I think.
06:54Obviously, some people met with what happens if you fall out, but we're not concerned.
07:00We're both adults and excited for that maternity.
07:03I mean, I don't really fight with anyone. I'm too tired.
07:06But also, I suppose disagreement would be better if we have differing opinions on things.
07:14I think we'll just talk through it.
07:17We've both been in business a fair amount of time now, so we've got plenty of experience,
07:22practical experience, and anything we've had minor disagreements about now are just fine.
07:29It doesn't matter.
07:30And then also, we have both been on the craft village for so many years and we know how it works.
07:37We know how much, how little people really come through here, which is really sad.
07:42But we don't have these huge expectations.
07:45We're very honest with how much or how we think it's going to go and how we hope it will go.
07:51But I suppose the risk factor is quite low because we already do have businesses and customers here.
07:58So hopefully they just know that I've moved across the street.
08:01Do you feel like you have a safety net then because you have this established brand to yourselves already?
08:06Yeah, I do.
08:07I do think we're going to benefit off each other's following as well.
08:11The more we have to offer here, the more we can draw in, really.
08:15That's the thing about the craft village. It really is destination shopping people.
08:19Dairy people don't tend to naturally walk through here unless there's something on.
08:24But tourists do because the tours run through here and they're more likely to explore for Irish products and stuff like that.
08:33My product's quite niche.
08:35I think a lot of people don't really come in my shop because they look in and go, probably nothing for me.
08:41I think being in and around other products could be good for me.
08:45Benefits everybody, really.
08:49I believe the opening date is March 1st?
08:52Yes.
08:53What can people expect when they walk in on that day?
08:57Hopefully two very happy business people.
09:01We're hoping to get a really good big turnout that weekend.
09:05We're going to do a total refurb of the shop so it shouldn't look anything like it did before.
09:10And we'll hope they see lots of new and old faces.
09:14Yes, even if they're not purchasing, just come for a nosey.
09:17It's what it's all about.
09:19As I say, we, Hannah, are now closing in here in two days.
09:25And then it's all systems go so we'll both be in here painting and working and doing all the things.
09:31Making a mess.
09:32Essentially doing it all ourselves as well.
09:34Yep.
09:35Doing it all ourselves?
09:36Pretty much.
09:37We'll have some people on to do bigger jobs but mostly all ourselves.
09:41Wow.
09:42It sounds like you've put a lot of work in there so far.
09:46A lot of ideas.
09:48You've been demanding on these.
09:50I think we've both somewhat...
09:54We've had the time to do it this end of the year because it isn't a busy time for the shop or for Aoife with Wens.
10:00I have no weddings.
10:01We have been able to put this at the forefront of what we're doing.
10:05So we have had a bit more time to do that.
10:08Now in the next couple of weeks we might be a bit more pushed because there is more to do here.
10:12Once it closes, the pressure's on.
10:14We've got a couple of weeks to do it.
10:16We also have to have the stock in the store to sell for individual businesses which still remain separate.
10:22So there will be a lot to do in the next couple of weeks.
10:24It's very easy to just run across the street to each other and chat.
10:28It's kind of what I've been doing all day.
10:30Then I'm like, right, I have to go make something and then I'll be back again.
10:33But at least I won't have to run across the street now for two weeks' time.
10:36I'll just be here anyway.
10:38But I think generally the vibe when you walk in should be quite fun and nice.
10:45This has been discussed or we decided on this.
10:48Was it November we decided to do it?
10:50Then it's kind of just been a concept and an idea and lots of back and forth.
10:54Hannah definitely tends to work in the evening and I work in the morning.
10:57Do you notice that?
10:58She's like a night owl.
10:59I'm like, I can't do it anymore.
11:00I wake up at seven.
11:01I'm like, right.
11:03She's like, I'm not ready yet.
11:04We compliment each other.
11:05It's okay.
11:06It's okay.
11:07It's like night and day.
11:08That is actually a good thing though because I get stuff done in the morning and you get stuff done in the evening.
11:13We're obviously working around our family schedule as well.
11:16So I'm waiting until my daughter's in bed and you're up a lot earlier than me as well.
11:20So it's just the way it works.
11:22It's not me that's up early, did I just say?
11:24But generally, no, I am a morning person.
11:27It's always been a thing with me and my friends.
11:29They're like, oh my God, why are you up so early?
11:31It's just what I do.
11:32I think you mentioned it there, but as you both come on here, it's like you've used more time.
11:36You spend time with your families.
11:38That's the idea.
11:39I think it probably works around what we've got going already.
11:42But we're kind of like ships passing in the night.
11:44Anyways, our schedules, we only maybe overlap on a Friday.
11:49So, you know, if we put our days that we work together, it makes closer to a full week.
11:54Everybody keeps saying, it'll be so great.
11:56You'll have company.
11:57And I'm like, no, I won't.
11:58The idea is that we won't be there at the same time.
12:01But I mean, we're always there for each other on the phone all the time.
12:05And that's fine too.
12:08That is generally the idea, to give us more time.
12:12But I mean, if you're self-employed, you don't really have time to yourself.
12:17My busy time is Hannah's quiet time.
12:20Hannah's quiet time.
12:22My busy time is your quiet time.
12:23Your busy time is my quiet time.
12:24So we all, honestly.
12:25But again, that kind of works for the whole concept.
12:30If you were to speak to the Derry or even just the North public in general,
12:35a particular woman, what would you say to them if you were advertising this business?
12:39Good question.
12:41I would say just generally come to support other women as well.
12:45Like, you know, the whole concept behind the store is they lift women up,
12:50give them the opportunity to sell.
12:52There's not many places that do this type of stocking concessions as well.
12:57So just come and browse.
13:01Any support at all is appreciated, whether it's in posts online, sharing, getting the word out.
13:06Exactly.
13:07All appreciated.
13:08Awesome.