Vintage Trainers Ltd opened on Saturday, December 21, in Wellington Way, Waterlooville. The store will be open for 10 weeks and is part of Havant Borough Council’s regeneration scheme for Waterlooville Town Centre.
The co-founders Mathew and Lauren Shaul are hoping the company’s sustainable shopping ethos will strike a cord with Waterlooville shoppers. Lauren said: “We buy all our trainers in second hand and refurbish them. We stop them from going to landfill.
“Matt will hand-clean every single pair of shoes. We clean the upper, the sole and the midsole to make them look as brand new as we can possibly make them.”
It has been a successful start to life for the pop up shop with footfall already exceeding expectations. Lauren said: “So far the reaction has been really good. We have had a lot of footfall, much more than we expected, and everyone seems to be loving it so far. It’s something a bit different for Waterlooville.”
The family run business are hoping that its popularity will continue as they look ahead to next year. Lauren said: “Obviously depending on how it goes over the next 10 weeks, we are hoping to look at the possibilities of having a permanent shop. That would be really good.”
The Vintage Trainers Pop Up Shop is open 8am to 5pm from Monday to Saturday.
1. Vintage Trainers Pop Up Shop
Lauren Shaul, co-founder of Vintage Trainers, has been delighted by the response from customers so far. | Sarah Standing
2. Vintage Trainers Pop Up Shop
All shoes are purchased second hand and then hand-cleaned inside and out. Picture: Sarah Standing (241224-7953) | Sarah Standing
3. Vintage Trainers Pop Up Shop
The shop will be open for ten weeks, and if successful, the owners will look at the possibility of opening a permanent store. Picture: Sarah Standing (241224-7945) | Sarah Standing
4. Vintage Trainers Pop Up Shop
The shop sells a range of refurbished major brand trainers, including Adidas and Nike. Picture: Sarah Standing (241224-7952) | Sarah Standing