AN 18-year-old teen from Cardiff has set up a new sweet shop on one of Barry’s main high streets.
Callum Baker ‘took the plunge’ and opened his business The Sweet Shack on Holton Road after having enough of jumping from job to job.
Mr Baker started the sweet shack online while doing a range of odd jobs which he fell in and out of, but he always came back to his dream of wanting to sell people sweets.
“I was in and out of jobs and never knew what I wanted to do,” said Mr Baker.
“I got bored in jobs and always came back to this.”
Mr Baker said the often negative feeling around high streets held him back from taking the plunge, until now.
“I wanted to go further with the business, but I was always a little scared to do it,” said Mr Baker. “But after quitting my last job, I thought I’ll give it a go.”
So what can you get a the Sweet Shack? Well, there is a range of chocolate as well as hugely popular continental crisps ‘Lays’ (other crisps are available…) And there’s the ‘pick’n’mix wall’, with over 130 varieties of sweets to fill your boots (or bag…)
Mr Baker also explained why he chose Barry to open his business, hailing from Cardiff.
“I chose Barry because I wanted to serve a community that was a bit more tight knit," said Mr Baker.
“I didn’t really want to do Cardiff because it's a big city, but Barry is a smaller town where you get to know your customers better.”
Mr Baker says he already has regulars having served over 400 people on his opening day.
And he also has some regulars working for him – that’s regular faces in the form of little brother Harry and gran Sarah, and it was gran who couldn’t hold in her pride for what her grandson is doing.
“It is incredible,” said Sarah. “To own a business at 18 and to have the confidence to come here with a business he has built up from scratch. We are all just so proud.”
The Sweet Shack is at 35 Holton Road and opening hours are Monday - Friday, 9.30AM to 5.30PM and Saturday 10AM to 5PM.
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