Thing that have helped us grow
Using Faire
This is part of an ongoing series: Things That Helped Us Grow notes on what’s made a real difference as we’ve built our workshop space.
We want to share the things that helped us grow, in case they help you too
We run a small creative studio in Deptford, and like most small businesses, a lot of it has been trial and error.
This one is about how we’ve used Faire, not as a strategy, but as a practical tool that’s helped us experiment, refine, and grow at our own pace.
One of the most useful things for us has been finding formats we can return to.
We started running cross stitch nights using Cotton Clara’s mini cross stitch kits that we sourced through Faire. They gave us a structure we didn’t have to rebuild each time and a reputable collaborator (of sorts) that we’re proud to advocate about as a fellow UK-based, female founded crafty business.
What that unlocked:
a recognisable event people could come back to
a lower-cost, Friday night event that included interactions with the bar
something social and for beginners, without being high pressure
It’s become one of our most consistent ways of bringing people through the door, especially for evening sessions.
This would be great for pubs, hospitality venues and cafes looking for an additional event to add to their monthly calendar.
Note: we also have a retail area in our shop, so left over stock goes there and ticks over well. At £10-12, this is something people will pick up as a gift or something to do.
Building repeatable, social events with ready-to-go kits
Small details that shape the space
We started stocking Living Things drinks behind the bar after coming across them on Faire.
We’re quite picky and superficial when it comes to our drinks selection. If we can add colour and a bit of fun, we do, and these tick the boxes on both fronts as well as being delicious.
We noticed:
people who weren’t drinking alcohol had something that felt just as considered
the bar became part of the overall look and atmosphere
people engaged with it more than standard soft drinks
It’s a reminder that what you offer, even in small ways, shapes how a space is experienced
Retail that connects to what you do
We have a retail space that contains all the bits people need to continue their new crafty hobby after a workshop, but it’s important these are high quality and reasonably priced tools and materials we’re happy to advocate.
One of the items we found on Faire were embroidery transfers from independent makers through Faire. They sit naturally alongside our workshops, support people in their ongoing projects and don’t feel separate from what we’re already doing.
What’s worked well for us:
people can take something home and continue after a session
it extends the experience without needing to add more workshops
it gives space to other small businesses we admire
We’ve found retail works best when it feels connected, rather than something we’re trying to build on its own.