The first businesses are beginning to open their doors at the new coastal development project, with vintage shop Foofaraw now welcoming customers
Felixstowe's Beach Street project is really beginning to take shape. The ambitious seaside development plans are set to transform the Manning's Amusement Park area of Sea Road, introducing a range of independent shops, food stalls and attractions all based out of converted shipping containers.
Over 20 small businesses will be making Beach Street their home over the course of the next year, and the very first among them have already opened their doors to customers. Vintage clothes shop Foofaraw was one of the first Beach Street businesses to set up shop at the site, offering a wide range of retro items - with some pieces dating all the way back to the 1950's!
"I've always loved fashion, and I started out just collecting vintage clothes as a hobby," Foofaraw owner Debbie Watson told me. "I then started to sell some pieces on eBay and I had some success with that, so I thought I'd take things one step further and actually open up a shop for my vintage finds. Now, I'm no longer cluttering up my house with piles and piles of clothes - I can actually share the pieces I love with others."
Foofaraw is brimming with unique pieces and vintage finds. Debbie has carefully curated a selection of 'real vintage' clothing from the 1950's through to the 1970's, including many second-hand items from high-end designer brands such as Gucci and Moschino. She also stocks retro items from the 1980's onwards, with a wide range of college-inspired cardigans and sweatshirts, many of which have been shipped over from America. Currently, the shop stocks women's clothes, shoes and accessories, but Debbie is hoping to expand the collection and branch out into both men's and children's wear in due course.
"There's a real buzz around Beach Street at the moment," says Debbie. "It's modelled on other shipping container complexes such as Boxpark in Shoreditch and Stack in Newcastle, and the whole place has a really positive feel to it. There's going to be a number of street food stalls, restaurants and other shops opening up in the months to come, and there's already a real sense of community about the place."
With two businesses now open at Beach Street and many more to follow, there's a sense of growing excitement around the seaside project. For now, Foofaraw is open to customers on Sundays from 9am to 4pm, but as Beach Street develops and the weather slowly improves, Debbie hopes to extend her opening hours and welcome customers throughout the week.
For more information on Foofaraw, visit the Facebook page. You can find Beach Street on Sea Road, Felixstowe, IP11 2DN.
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