Each week the Herald will be featuring a local business and this week we hear from Sharon Hobson who owns Flutterbys.

Tell us about yourself?

I have lived in Sidmouth since 1976. My mum, two daughters and three granddaughters all live locally and we enjoying spending time together when we get the chance. I trained as a hairdresser as a teenager and most of my working life has been spent as a mobile hairdresser. It was in 2008 that I began to make jewellery and sell it at the Folk Festival and other craft fairs. I also began to sell online, enjoying this as more of a hobby alongside my hairdressing. As the online business grew, I made the leap, after a lot of deliberation, in 2011 and launched Flutterbys in its first premise, before moving to our current shop in 2014.

Tell us about your business.

Our ethos is ‘bright, fun and approachable’. We specialise in beads, buttons and everything you might need to make your own jewellery but also stock a wide range of gifts, fabrics, children’s fancy dress, cards and lots of ‘fairy garden’ items. Our team of ‘Flutterettes’ are on hand to help if you do your making in our making area, and you can reserve a table for a more party-style experience - great for children’s birthdays.

What makes you different and special compared to other businesses doing the same type as thing as you?

Customers have told us there isn’t another shop like us. The combination of craft items, gifts and our ‘making area’ help add to our style and our cheerful, positive atmosphere encourages people to keep coming back.

What are your aims and goals?

We have been introducing products from local suppliers and will continue to do so. We are looking forward to exciting new additions including face painting which is coming soon. We hope to still be operating in our lovely shop for many years to come.

What’s one the oddest story you have?

I love creating our window displays but this Christmas stands out. I spent hours turning one of my wooden reindeers into a Christmas unicorn. Later named ‘Twinkle Puff’ as part of a competition, she now takes pride of place in the shop helping to display our gifts.