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Oh Sew BlueSky offers local handcrafted products, shabby chic home interiors and a selection of fabrics and is aiming to reach new heights thanks to a £9,250 Pride in Our High Street grant.

The business has opened on the high street as a retail outlet and a craft events venue – but also continues to operate a successful online service.

Having a high street presence will enable customers to view and shop for products and book their place at regular craft events where they will see some of the products being put into practice.

Shabby chic is a style of interior decoration that uses furniture and soft furnishings that are or appear to be pleasingly old and slightly worn.

Co-owners Michelle Walsh and Sara-Jane Brettle are really pleased to have secured their new unit and grateful for the support they’ve received from the Pride in Our High Street programme.

Michelle said: “Opening on the high street in Newport now means we have three distinct offerings – a high street retail outlet, an events venue and our online service.

“We’re delighted with the new premises because although online shopping is popular, with the products we offer many customers prefer to see and touch them before buying, but we’ll still be retaining a strong online presence for those that want to continue buying online.

“Our craft events will also help us to drive product sales as a number of the techniques we demonstrate will use products from the shop such as paint and fabric.”

Oh Sew BlueSky, based at 91 High Street, has recently become an approved stockist for Frenchic Paint who have an exclusivity clause meaning anyone who wants to buy these products will need to visit Newport.

The business is also focusing on a more environmentally driven approach with its shabby chic style and country cottage offering.

Sarah-Jane Brettle said: “We believe we can increase footfall in Newport high street with our individual ideas and beautiful, welcoming boutique. 

“Our home décor items are hand-picked, pretty home interiors which are vintage styled or shabby chic.

“Products are affordable, unique and very different to that of our competitors and we want to keep things as local as possible and support businesses on our doorstep.

“For the events we stage, any catering will be ordered locally and we want to promote and help local suppliers to sell products in our shop.”

Councillor Lee Carter (Lab), Telford & Wrekin Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood Services, Regeneration and the High Street, said: “Oh Sew BlueSky is a fantastic addition to Newport high street and builds on what is an already successful online business.

“We are pleased to support the business with a start-up grant which will help it to grow and have a fixed presence on the high street where people can come and take a closer look at the fantastic range of products available.

“This is just another example of how we are continuing to help businesses through the Pride in Our High Street programme through our series of grants and support packages.” 

You can find out more about the Pride in Our High Street programme and the grants and support which is available here.

Photo: Michelle Walsh, right, and Sara-Jane Brettle outside their Oh Sew BlueSky unit.