Independent retailer opens Eastbourne ‘superstore’

An independent retailer has opened its Eastbourne branch last week in the former Laura Ashley site.
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Maybugs, which held the opening event at its Terminus Road location on Thursday, July 29, first opened in Hailsham in 2018.

Eastbourne MP Caroline Ansell and town mayor Councillor Pat Rodohan cut the yellow ribbon to the new branch which opened to the public the following morning.

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Mrs Ansell said, “This is an emporium like I’ve never seen before, there’s so much to see my eyes can’t take it all in.

Maybugs' Eastbourne opening event. SUS-210208-101740001Maybugs' Eastbourne opening event. SUS-210208-101740001
Maybugs' Eastbourne opening event. SUS-210208-101740001

“It’s so nice to see an independent retailer flourishing after the past 18 months.

“I wish the Maybugs team the very best of luck in Eastbourne, not that they will need it from what I have seen.”

Maybugs sells gifts and homeware as well as brands including JellyCat, Wrendale Designs, Carrie Elspeth Jewellery and Inis Fragrance.

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Councillor Rodohan said, “I cannot believe what they have done with this shop.

Maybugs' Eastbourne opening event. SUS-210208-101728001Maybugs' Eastbourne opening event. SUS-210208-101728001
Maybugs' Eastbourne opening event. SUS-210208-101728001

“There’s nothing like this in Eastbourne, it gives locals another reason to come back to the town and shop locally, rather than defaulting to online shopping.

“It’s such a beautiful shop, and such a pleasurable experience.”

A spokesperson from Maybugs said the entire ground floor has been refurbished and is ‘unrecognisable’.

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Co-owner Greg Rose said, “We are completely overwhelmed, we were joined by family and friends for our opening event and they were blown away by the store.

Maybugs' Eastbourne store. SUS-210208-102029001Maybugs' Eastbourne store. SUS-210208-102029001
Maybugs' Eastbourne store. SUS-210208-102029001

“However we were not prepared to turn up on Friday morning to find people queuing to get in an hour before we opened.

“The store has been at capacity all weekend and it’s just amazing that so many people have come out to support us.

“I just don’t accept it when we hear people say the high street is dead, it’s down to retailers to up their game to bring the customers in.”

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Fellow co-owner John Dale added, “It makes me so proud that all our hard work has paid off, customers have been commenting all weekend on how wonderful the shop is, and that they have never been anywhere like it.

“We set out to create something unique here, the future of gift retailing, creating an experience as well as an exciting shopping environment.”

Maybugs also puts an emphasis on selling locally-produced items.

Mr Rose said, “Supporting other local businesses and producers is part of the Maybugs ethos, of course we can’t source everything locally, and sometimes price is prohibitive, however if we can get it from someone local then we will.”