Start your own creative shop or gallery - Rhonda Drakeford Part of Enterprise Week 2010

1. www.darkroomlondon.com

5. WHO ARE YOU
What are you offering?
Why is it different?
Does anybody need/want what you offer?
Where do you need to be (online, physical space)?
Location?
Is this the right time? (Financial climate etc)
What are your skills?
Who/what else do you need to make it happen?

6. GETTING STARTED
Business Courses and Mentors:
– Portobello Business Centre, Business Link
(Help with Business Plan, Tax, Employment Law etc)
Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)
(Discounts for banking, phone lines, insurance etc)
Rent Negotiator (Rent free period, help with shopfit)
Partnership agreement (Roles etc)

7. INITIAL OUTLAY
Rent Deposit / Premium
Shop fit – design, furnishings, labour, decoration
Packaging and stationery
Website – design and build
Stock
PR and marketing (fees + material)
Equipment (computers, printers, pdq machine etc)
Utilities (phone line, electricity etc)
Rates (refuse collection)
Insurance

8. SELF PROMOTION
Website
Mailing list - customers, press
Press releases
Mailshots - Campaign Monitor
Social networking - facebook page, twitter
Events – parties, launches, press days
Promotions – secret sales, discount, exclusives
Packaging

19. CHRISTMAS POP-UP SHOP AT LE BON MARCHE – PARIS
Darkroom is excited to announce that they will be taking up residence in Paris’s most respected department stores – Le
Bon Marche for the months of November and December 2010.
The unique interior at London’s most exciting new concept store will be re-created in the highly anticipated Galerie
Imaginaire floor and will offer a beautifully curated range of accessories that are perfect for the winter months and as
Christmas gifts.
Darkroom is a new concept store on London’s Lamb’s Conduit Street that specialises in unique, one-off and hand-made
accessories for men, women and the home. alongside bi-monthly art and design exhibitions.
For further details and images, please contact: florence@cubecompany or info@darkroomlondon.com
MEN’S ACCESSORIES AT DARKROOM
DARKROOM BOW TIES & POCKET SQUARES
Darkroom has launched it’s inaugural range of own-designed men’s accessories. Beautifully hand made in London, our
cotton bow ties and pocket squares come in a variety of oversize gingham and wax-printed vintage African fabrics with
the emphasis placed on colour and pattern clash.
Darkroom Bow Ties: £30
Darkroom Pocket Squares: £15