Susanna Freymark
Businessman Gary Smith said the arts and craft shop he and wife Yvonne Smith own has been described as a “unicorn shop”.
Sensational Crafts is a shop you don’t expect to see – much like a unicorn.
Yvonne and Gary have been selling craft items since 2004, first online and then five years ago they opened the Barker Street shop in Casino.
The table was the first thing we put in the shop for people to come and do stuff, Gary said.
There is always someone at that table – scrapbooking, doing cross stitch, designing a card or painting figurines.
It’s a place to talk, slow down and have a cuppa while you get crafty.
It’s an old fashioned concept and it works.
The Australian Small Business Champion Awards agree.
Sensational Crafts is a finalist in the Arts, Crafts and Gifts category. There were 5500 entries for the awards.
Yvonne and Gary will be at the Casino in Sydney on April 13 to see if they win their category.
“From one Casino to another,” Gary said.
The process of presenting their business for an award has been useful.
“It’s a good way to take a snapshot of your business and see what we can do better,” he said.
The shop now has a laser cutter and Yvonne is making cards and booklet templates for people to buy and populate with their own photos and decorations.
Yvonne’s sisters help in the shop and people pop in and chat, sit at the middle table and peruse the shop shelves for craft items.
Gary slaps a piece of plain brown card on the table.
“Get a piece of cardboard and create,” he said with conviction.
and then