Many of you may have noticed on our social media that we haven’t been at home for a while! Recently we were very grateful to be able to move in to our new That’s mine Factory! So now that we’re fully settled in, we wanted to share with you the journey of the Factory and how this all came to be.
Moving out of a home-based business
That’s mine has always been set up as a homebased business, mainly to make it easier for our founders, Elaine and Paul, to raise their children when they were young. In recent years however, things needed to change. The COVID-19 pandemic hit, which meant more people were at home shopping online than before. For Elaine and Paul, orders were increasing like crazy, and it was getting very overwhelming. Their home wasn’t a home anymore, the business had completely taken over. Their eldest daughter’s room was stacked full of boxes, and their main bedroom was a photography studio!
Then came the tipping point. Elaine had left for a few days on a break and came back feeling refreshed. She came back with fresh eyes, and now could see how much the business had taken over. It was then they realised either they moved That’s mine out of the house or they needed to shut down completely.
The boost That’s mine needed
To be able to make the plans to move out a reality, Elaine and Paul decided to get some help from the local council. Chorley Council offers some amazing support to local businesses, including the Chorley Business Investment for Growth (BIG) Grant, which can contribute to the adaptation of existing business premises and more. It was a big leap to investigate financial help, but it definitely paid off. So, with the help of the BIG grant and the Lancashire County Council Boost grant, Elaine and Paul found the perfect place right on their doorstep! They couldn’t believe their luck finding a unit in Buckshaw Village that was just right for them.
The Factory vision
To create the dream That’s mine Factory, they had a mezzanine put in, built by Brysdales storage solution company. This created the space to dedicate areas for embroidery, admin, and storage. Elaine and Paul enjoyed nights out at The Hacienda in Manchester, a nightclub and music venue that became famous in the ‘Madchester’ years during the 80s and early 90s. Paul has always been passionate about music, so the ‘Hacienda’ vibe influenced the design of the factory, along with inspiration from Elaine’s background in the textiles industry. The vibe of the factory blends these two passions, to create a creative, industrial workshop space. Paul’s even set his drums up in the stock room!
The Challenges
The process was very challenging, as there was juggle of running the business and also project managing the factory build. Paul would do a day’s work and then be off painting walls at the factory at night! It all couldn’t have been done without the support of other local businesses, like Poppy Signs, who installed the incredible That’s mine sign. That was a proud moment! We have also had great support from our friends and neighbours Secure Assure, who provide and help with all our computer equipment. Our other neighbours are Sonic Fire and Security, who installed all our fire alarm and all our fire equipment.
We’re all moved in!
The Factory is now the perfect place for the whole That’s mine team to work. It has provided an environment that sparks inspiration, motivation, and creativity. It has also given Elaine and Paul the space to employ others! Elaine had the space to be able to purchase another embroidery machine, provided by Midwest Embroidery and there is also a photography studio space.
“It’s an absolute joy to have a dedicated place to work and a dedicated place to live – we get to have our home back!”
Elaine
The Factory is a very welcoming place, as we’ve now always got customers popping in to say hi, and new customers discovering us as they walk past! So, if you’re ever in the Buckshaw area, stop by for a chat!
