PICTURES: New Start moves into empty Pagazzi Lighting store in Inverness - and plans further Highland expansion
A life-changing social enterprise’s continued success has seen it open its sixth Highland store - and it says further expansion plans “are on the horizon”.
New Start Highland, which already operates two furniture outlets in Inverness, has opened the doors of a third store in the city - a new pop-up shop in the Longman industrial estate.
The additional site is due to the success of its existing locations, with the charity saying it needed more space to accommodate all the furniture in its stock.
The new shop, which is located in the former home of Pagazzi Lighting, next to Tiso on Henderson Road, will sell second hand furniture and will also feature a Unique Ness concession area.
READ MORE: Closure of DIY and building materials store in Inverness ‘a sign’ of struggling construction sector
READ MORE: Highland charity welcomes £210k to support more volunteers
Unique Ness currently has its own space in the Eastgate Centre and sells high end, one-of-a-kind, pre-loved pieces that have been upcycled by New Start Highland’s upholstery team.
Chief Executive of New Start Highland, James Dunbar, said: “Our requirement for extra space is down to the generosity of our local community and we can’t wait to have another presence in Inverness.
“Footfall to our two furniture outlets in Carsegate Road North remains high and we hope people visiting our new pop-up space will remember there are more second hand treasures to find, not only in Inverness, but also in our shops in Dingwall and Thurso.
“The cost of living crisis is simply not going away. There is an unprecedented need for low cost, good quality furniture and increasing re-use across the Highlands remains core to our ongoing mission.”
The pop-up shop will sell furniture and a selection of bikes. Books, records, electrical goods and so much more can be found in New Start Highland’s other shops across the region. Retail is just one of New Start Highland’s commercial activities with others being removals, storage, house clearances and commercial training.
All profits are reinvested back into the organisation to fund its charitable activities, which cover a range of services that help people in need move away from poverty and crisis. These services include furniture provision, employability training, cookery classes and housing support.
New Start Highland, which celebrates its 25th anniversary next year, says it is at “a key point of growth”, with further expansion plans on the horizon. Over the last 12 months it has served the local community over 110,000 times and has diverted over 70,000 items from landfill.
The new shop will be open six days a week, from 10am – 6pm on Mondays – Fridays and 10am – 4pm on Saturdays. For more information or to find out about retail staff opportunities, visit newstarthighland.org.
