New collective handmade store showcases best of CQ

Grand opening of the creative business at Stockland today

ALL ABOARD: Korina Fraser and Holly Sherwood setting up new shop, Made in CQ. Picture: Allan Reinikka ROK090918amadeinc

ROCKHAMPTON shoppers will now be able to access a handmade market seven days a week.

A new store is opening open in Stockland and it is a quirky concept.

Made in CQ is a store with a collective of handmade products and goods for sale.

From handmade soaps, body products, clothing, jewellery and artwork - if it can be handmade, the store will have it.

Supporting local, the products are from handmade businesses all across Rockhampton and Central Queensland.

The store is operated by paid employees, Holly Sherwood and Sandy Morris, who work within centre hours on a seven-day trade.

Owner Korina Fraser has a store in Cairns and wanted to branch out the concept.

It's a way small handmade businesses can sell their products for a smaller price - instead of all the tiresome market work.

It also alleviates many of the costs of having your own business, as the weekly stockist fee pays for 60 hours of trade, staff wages, rent, electricity charges, insurance and costs for set up including furniture, signage and advertising on social media.

"It is basically one stall fee at a good market which would only cover about four hours of trade but has the whole packing the car, getting up at stupid o'clock, unpacking the car, setting up your stall, being there for four hours, packing up, packing your car, going home and unpacking again deal with it," she said.

"With the shop you just drop your stock off and we do the rest.

"It's also amazing advertising for your business."

Holly Sherwood setting up the new Stockland shop, Made in CQ. Picture: Allan Reinikka ROK090918amadeinc

Since the launch for store, it has gained a lot of attention from stockists.

More than 40 businesses have signed up to join the store and every day Ms Fraser is getting more enquires.

"They can see the value in getting their products out in different avenue than they already have, whether they may have a website or do markets," she said.

"From kokedamas, a lady who bakes cookies, woodwork, jewellery, marble furniture, it gives them another avenue to get their product in front of a customer.

"There is quite a lot of handmade businesses, there is a huge pool of great quality to come from."

Ms Fraser also owns the Handmade Expo markets in Rockhampton so open the store here seemed to make sense.

She is "very confident" it will go well as handmade is getting so popular these days.

"People are looking for good quality products they can get locally," Ms Fraser said.

"They are looking for that gift that is unique, they are one off that no one else has."

The shop is where the Emma and Roe jewellery store was, so it has a pink wallpaper and glitzy glamour feel but it being renovated to have a more homey, relaxed feel using handmade furniture.

"It's a comfortable shop to go in, things hiding around the corner, have little displays all over the place," she said.

MADE IN CQ:

• Grand opening today, from 9am - 5.30pm
• Shop located next door to Williams Shoes, across from Jamaica Blue
• Search them on Facebook

Originally published as New collective handmade store showcases best of CQ