Pure Massage
Is it busy running two shops? Don’t ask!
I’ve only had this stall for a month, so it’s really new, but I’ve had the handbags and scarves stall for six years now. I run them both with my husband. We offer massages and we also sell all of these. We’ve got aromatherapy products, it’s all natural ingredients so it’s nothing harsh on your skin. It’s all eco-friendly. We’ve got things that are nice for gifts, like these flowers made of soap.
I started off doing massages for friends and family before starting this business. We do get quite a few people coming by asking if they have to make an appointment, or if they can just book in today. They can get a chair massage, just 10 to 20 minutes over their clothes. Other countries are so chill, so relaxed, and in the UK people are always on the go and don’t make time for themselves. I find when I get home I have things on my mind, I can’t relax even when I’m cooking dinner. I should be enjoying it but I just feel like I’ve got to get it done really fast!
Everyone’s always so busy – the older generation that come to the market like to make time for conversation, they sometimes don’t get someone to talk to apart from their family. It’s nice for them to have someone on the outside they can chat to, and sometimes get things off their chest.
Being self-employed is a choice I made – there’s always sacrifices. I used to have a clothing and accessories shop on Colne Road, I had it for 12 years, but I’ve moved over here now. I’ve been on my own, but this feels like a community, like a family. We all say hello and goodbye to each other here. That’s what attracted me to the market. You’ve got to be dedicated and enjoy what you do. This doesn’t really feel like work!