IN an admittedly difficult time for shops it is important everyone finds their niche.

So when Andrea Stain launched her Clacton gift shop she was keen to capitalise on the fact there was nothing else like it at the time.

With a range of affordable gifts she was soon bringing in regulars to her shop, which she called Higgledy Piggledy, which is based in a shop that had previously stood empty for two years.

But with lots of space, and a keen interest in holistic healing and the supernatural, she was soon looking for ways to expand, first of all introducing a tea room.

“We had a lot of space and were in a position where we wanted to try and do something with it.

“I really wanted to try and create something a bit different. A space where you could just come in and spend more than just 20 minutes browsing,” adds Andrea who readily admits she is aiming her shop towards women in particular.

“We have a lot of gift ideas, bath bombs, handmade soaps and jewellery which is a recent addition. It is very girlie but I like it like that.

“There wasn’t really a gift shop so I thought I would see how it went and although it has been a hard winter we are still managing to get customers in and that is because we are looking for different ways to stand out,” she explains.

One of those ways is, along with the tea shop, to open up a holistic area where tarot card, angel card readers and even a medium come in for sessions.

While some might be sceptical, it is proving a draw.

“This year, with the weather staying colder than longer, we are still waiting for the tourists to come in so we had to do something different.

“We are finding people are coming in because of the holistic room, whether it is to see the medium or to meet friends and a have a cup of tea and while they are there they are looking at what we have in the shop and buying presents.

“It is very important to get the price right and to not make anything too expensive as well.”

Husband Neil has also become qualified as a reiki practitioner who people can book sessions in the holistic room with and Andrea is training to become a crystal healer.

“They have different energy values and you learn about channelling that,” says Andrea, 44, from Brightlingsea.

A large percentage of the stock is Fair Trade, something the couple believe strongly in.

The shop, in the High Street opposite the post office, benefits from having parking outside that is free after 2pm until the end of March, which has made a difference since they launched last year.

Andrea, who previously ran a frame shop, says: “This shop had been closed for a long time and I kept looking at it and changing my mind, but now I am so glad we took the plunge. It is hard work and we are learning all the time but it is worth it.”