“I’m really excited about seeing it all coming together”
Rachael outside her new shop in Church Town(Image: Rachael Laisney)
A woman is transforming her parents’ former vintage shop into a quirky new art and social café. Rachael Laisney, 34, from Southport, is set to open her new café in Church Town, which will host ceramic workshops, pottery painting classes and art events, next month.
The café, which will also be open as a bar in the evenings and weekends, has been designed to have a pottery studio in the back where the workshops will be held. Rachael told the ECHO how her “exciting“ new venture is something she has “dreamed of,” since she first started making pottery 12 years ago.
She said: “This is the first shop I’m opening. I’ve done workshops before and I’ve taught pottery in two different places but I’ve never had my own shop. It’s exciting. Over the last few years me and my sister have managed a bar together but now it’s time for me to do my own thing and I’m combining both my bar managing skills and pottery together.
Rachael, who first started making pottery 12 years ago, added: “I started pottery in 2012 when I finished university, I just found a local class and enjoyed it so much, I fell in love with it at that class and never stopped.
“Its something I really enjoy and I want to teach people in the community and hope they enjoy it as much as me. I think it will add a really nice social aspect to this part of the community.”
Rachael has taken over her parents’ shop, Vintage Home Southport, after they closed the shop in Church Town earlier this month. Rachael added: “I’ve worked in their shop since I was 17 and when they decided to move locations I thought its character would be the perfect place for me.
“The shop is cute, quaint, a little wonky but it’s got character. There will be lots of familiar faces coming in and I suppose it does have a sentimental but I’m more looking forward to the social aspect of being there.
“The refurb is already happening fast, I’m really excited about seeing it all coming together. I’m feeling confident about it.”