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Expansion comes early to shop that only opened last November
CornerCopia on Soham High Street eyes more progress since it opened last November (inset) after introducing the 'pink room'. - Credit: CornerCopia/Mike Rouse
A store manager has shared his surprise over how quickly a shop that opened just four months ago has expanded.
As part of its expansion plans, costing over £200,000 CornerCopia of Soham have added a ‘pink room’ to its High Street shop.
“I think expansion has gone quick since we opened as we realised we would need additional space,” Ben Sardeson, store manager, said.
“It’s been so far, so good.”
Many visitors descended on CornerCopia when the shop opened in November last year.
Inside the new 'pink room' at CornerCopia on Soham High Street. - Credit: CornerCopia
The homeware and gift shop can now add food to its growing list of offerings, including cake from Sapphire Cake Co, after turning its Christmas room into space for customers and guests.
“There were plans to change it to something else as our gifts and homeware were popular, so we want to stick with that,” said Ben.
CornerCopia are eyeing future plans after expanding their premises on Soham High Street to include the 'pink room'. - Credit: CornerCopia
“We were always going to offer cakes and would do that in the first room, but we ran out of room in December.
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“I think we needed an extra space and there was not any competition in Soham for gift and homeware shops, so we thought we could take advantage and expand.”
The ‘pink room’, which took around six weeks to transform, boasts walls and furniture covered in, as predicted, pink.
It means the shop can look to hold a maximum of 20 people at one time, and with more space has come four new jobs, three of them already taken.
Inside the new 'pink room' at CornerCopia on Soham High Street. - Credit: CornerCopia
“It’s come as a complete surprise as we knew we needed more help and didn’t know how quickly we would get it,” Ben said.
“People have been complimentary and saying it’s exactly what Soham needs.”
Inside the new 'pink room' at CornerCopia on Soham High Street. - Credit: CornerCopia
Many visitors attended the opening of CornerCopia on Soham High Street last November. - Credit: Mike Rouse
CornerCopia has further plans to add a bistro in a bid to what Ben describes as “more of a destination” than just a shop.
They are still welcoming new customers from the town who have not visited since November, as the shop continues to keep well-occupied.
“We still have people in Soham saying ‘it’s the first time we’ve been here’, so it’s a nice surprise to see new people,” Ben added.
“I think expansion will give us more space to hopefully achieve our aims of getting people to travel to us to come have a coffee and a chat.”
