Furniture shop closed down after post-pandemic struggles and has transformed into community hub
A Northampton furniture shop closed down after failing to overcome the challenges faced post-pandemic, but it has now transformed into a community hub to give back.
Driftwood Vintage Furniture, located in Cecil Road, shut in April last year and founder Phillip Lyman has rebranded the building into the Reboot Community Hub.
Phillip told the Chronicle & Echo: “The business struggled because of the pandemic. We always go back to that but it wasn’t financially viable to have a furniture shop in that area.”
The founder has since opened another store with a friend in St James, called Sustainable Furnishings, but wanted to put his Cecil Road building to good use.
Having taken some time out to decide what to do next, Phillip got a board of directors together to devise a vision for the community-focused workshops and events moving forward.
“When I ran it as a furniture shop, I built good relationships with people locally and beyond,” said Phillip. “People were struggling like I was, particularly with mental health and finances.
“I wanted to reuse the building and give back to people in a way that everyone can come along and enjoy themselves. It’s a thank you for the support when it was a furniture shop.”
Upcoming events will include themed afternoon teas, craft fairs, record fairs and pop-up cafes, as well as welcoming the community for a chat if they feel low and in need of support. There will be a mixture of free and charged sessions to cover the building’s overheads.
Phillip also wants other individuals, groups and charities to utilise the space and host their own events.
The Reboot team is hosting an open day in February, with the exact date soon to be confirmed. The hope is that anyone interested in visiting or utilising the space will come along to find out about its future, as well as sharing their own suggestions.
Christmas wreath making sessions and the annual Santa’s grotto, formerly hosted by Driftwood Vintage Furniture, went down a storm at the community hub at the end of 2024.
“I realised the change I’m making is correct,” said Phillip. “We want people to know what will be on their doorstep. We want to celebrate the building, what’s going to happen and what people want to see.”