Retail Therapy with a Twist

I’ve just dropped off some of my handmade cushions, elephants and brooches at a new shop in Loughborough, The Emporium at 57 in Wards End offers ‘retail therapy with a twist’.

The shop is a fundraising project for the Loughborough Wellbeing Cafe, a community interest company that runs an early evening Wellbeing Cafe once a month for adults. The cafe offers a safe and welcoming environment for people who are recovering from or living with mental ill health and the evenings so far have offered mindfulness sessions, gentle exercise, bread making, creative and fun activities for participants.

The shop’s in a great location alongside a selection of interesting quality independent retail and food businesses. The Emporium at 57 is stocked with art and crafts made by local artists and makers, giftware, accessories and cards  –  and brimming with open hearted enthusiasm! Commission on every purchase helps to fund the Wellbeing Cafe Project, and the people whose work is in the shop also make a contribution to the project.

So – what will you find there? The back of the shop is dedicated to visual art, you’ll find a number of artists including Barry Bulsara, who’s supplied a great selection of his prints, mugs and tote bags – saving his fans a trip further away for last minute gifts. Muto and Little Bird SOS both create products from recycled materials and are brands with a social ethos. Muto, based in Loughborough, works with vulnerable adults and the homeless to creatively recycle textiles, Little Bird SOS is a social enterprise bringing arts and crafts for health and wellbeing to Leicester. Both produce very covetable items.

That of course is just naming three. To see more follow The Emporium at 57 on Facebook – and if you’re in Loughborough make sure you pop in and enjoy a bit of ‘retail therapy with a twist’. 

You’ll find the Emporium at 57 in Wards End, Loughborough, LE11 3HB. Here’s a MAP