SECOND TIME LUCKY
Simon’s shop helps search for furniture
A new business established in Stornoway aims to help people deal with their furniture needs in a new way.
Second Time Lucky on the corner of Church Street and Keith Street gives customers the chance to sell and buy second-hand or newly new furniture and other smaller items, and also has a range of ornaments and knick-knacks.
Set up by Simon Dunne, the prizewinning local entrepreneur who runs Hebridean Removals with his brother John as well as Man With A Van, the business developed directly from the needs of customers who were moving off the islands but did not want to take all their furniture with them – or were coming in and did not have everything they needed.
Hebridean Removals provide a removal service both locally and nationally for domestic and commercial clients and also have storage facilities. Man With A Van is aimed at smaller removals or the collection and delivery of furniture for anything between an hour and a day. Now Second Time Lucky gives Simon the chance to help customers still further with their needs.
Simon came to Lewis from the Northeast of England when he was eight after his father’s job brought the family to the Islands. He studied music after leaving school but he had always wanted to run his own business and he was only 22 when he set up Soundtracks in Francis Street in June 2002. This was an independent CD and record shop that won the £1200 first prize at the Regional Final of the 2003 Shell LiveWIRE Young Business Start Up Awards.
However, the business was forced to close after almost four years as the market demand switched to digital downloading of music.
Simon said that he always wanted to be in the music business but his experience with Soundtracks left him more interested in the idea of running a business in general. He realised he felt better working for himself. He also likes the social aspect of the work, the chance to meet people. “I enjoy dealing with the public and trying to find what they are after.”
The mainland trips by Hebridean Removals also give Simon the chance to bring back items for the shop and meet the needs of would-be customers who are looking for particular items. This combination of services enables him to keep the business costs down allowing better prices for buyers. “Customers tell me what they want. If we have not got the particular item, we will try to find it.”
Simon says his new venture gives people with furniture to sell, and who don’t want to get involved with using newspaper advertisements and having people come to the their houses, the chance to make some money out of the furniture which they no longer need.
Contact
Second time lucky, 58 Keith Street
Tel: 01851 700941 / 07867 886410
Open 9am-5.30pm Monday-Saturday
