A Perth vintage shop closed its doors this weekend as it gets ready to relocate to Fife.
Underneath the Arches has been on Princes Street for nine years offering a range of furniture, homeware and jewellery.
The shop housed goods from local businesses Nook & Cranny, Home Interiors, Little Drum and owner Lou Shaw’s Kit & Caboodle.
Lou and her partner Joanna Aitken of Little Drum are now moving Underneath the Arches into The Red Fox Studio on Newburgh High Street.
Their first appearance will be the first weekend in September in a pop-up shop.
“We’re going to make it an open weekend, where we’re putting a bit of extra effort in to see if we can regenerate the High Street,” says Lou.
“There’s quite a few artists who work from a studio at their home, so they’ve said they’ll open that weekend as well.
“After that, we’re going to gauge how the pop-up goes and if it works we might make it a monthly thing or we’ll open two or three days a week.”
Originally from Perth, Lou now lives in Newburgh and would like to bring something new to the town.
Reasons for Underneath the Arches closure
The businessowner has specialised in vintage furniture and homeware for 25 years.
Her business was first set up in Fife before moving to Perth so she could collaborate with other local businesswomen.
For the last five years, Lou ran Underneath the Arches by herself. When one of the four collaborators left, she decided it was time to close the shop.
“We didn’t find another person to fill the gap and it meant that we were going to have to do more.
“I’m getting near to 60 and Joanna is getting near to 70, so we thought it’s time to downscale.
“We were kept very busy because we kept our prices low. If we increased our prices, we didn’t sell things.
“So we had to have a very high turnover of stock and we were beginning to feel the strain of it.”
Perth business closures
Underneath the Arches is one of several Perth businesses that has closed recently.
Perth’s first vegan cafe recently announced its closure.
Lou says: “I’m really quite disappointed in Perth for the lack of care for the small independents.
“For all the building that’s going on in the city, it’s not increased the amount of people coming to the shop at all.
“It’s a beautiful, beautiful city. It’s my hometown, but I feel Perth misses what it’s actually got to offer.
“We’re going to have the new museum there, but apart from coffee shops, barber shops and nail bars, I’m not too sure what else is going to be an attraction.”
Conversation