Sunday sit-down with… Jessica Penrose, owner of Flea Circus

How did you expand your business from selling online to a bricks-and-mortar shop?

I began by selling furniture and vintage at markets, both at the Quayside and at Tynemouth. Then I rented a small shop space in Jesmond. That’s where I met Jim. He actually wanted the shop space I went for and I beat him to it! Though it was wonderful to have a space to sell from, it was small, quite dark and had a difficult stairway, which meant it wasn’t easy to bring furniture in and out. I learnt such a lot from my time in that shop, but when I saw Jim again, he explained he was in need of a space for his vintage business, Etch Interiors. It quickly became apparent I needed more space too. We said there and then: shall we open a place together? In November 2018, we opened Flea Circus. 

In and around the Ouseburn was always our dream location, as we both loved the independent businesses there. Not only did we each want a pitch within the shop, but we were also passionate about giving a leg up to other sellers. I went out pounding the pavements and came across the guys from Blank Studios on Warwick Street outside an empty lot. They told me Star and Shadow Cinema, which was next door, wanted to turn the space into a studio but, since they had just finished building the cinema, wouldn’t be able to do it for another two years. We propositioned them, showed them a business plan and asked if they would support us. Both the collaborative and sustainability aspect of Flea Circus fit with the ethos of Star and Shadow, so they said yes. We’ve actually just extended our lease for another two years. As our landlords, Star and Shadow have been so supportive every step of the way – especially during the pandemic.

How has COVID impacted Flea Circus? 

It’s been so sad not to be able to get together right now. Even not being able to give sellers a hug at the moment is so difficult! But our customers have been wonderful. During the first lockdown, we began doing live tours of the shop on Facebook, showing people items that way, and had a hugely positive response. But this second lockdown did take us by surprise. We’re all very tired really, as we keep having to do things in a new way – which might sound silly, but it can be exhausting when you’re trying to run a business, to feel that things keep changing. We’re longing to just open the door and welcome our customers back in again. 

The response we got when we heard we were going to have to shut the shop again was phenomenal. I think we sold more in those three days leading up to the second lockdown than we did in the three weeks previously! People came out in their droves. We could tell people came in even if they didn’t particularly need anything and bought even one small thing, just to show their support. It was incredible. 

Do you have any tips for readers who are new to shopping vintage – are there any items they could easily incorporate into their homes? 

I definitely think glassware and vases are a great way into vintage shopping. As are things you would use on a practical level, everyday items like coffee cups and kitchenalia. Using vintage glassware, especially around Christmas when you might have cocktails or mulled wine, gives it such a special feel, rather than your supermarket-bought, run-of-the-mill glasses. Houseplants are also so fashionable again, nodding back to the ‘70s when everyone had homes like jungles! Our seller Mia Loves sells a great range of plants and dried grasses. But we have some sellers in Flea Circus that aren’t vintage-focussed, too. One of our newest is The Happy Bee Soap Company, which offers gorgeous, all-natural products that smell amazing. They have everything from bath bombs and soaps to shaving bombs, they make such lovely gifts. So even if you’re not looking for a vintage item, there’s still something for everyone.

Your own home in Newcastle (featured in national press) is such a stylish space. Is it difficult to not bring everything home from Flea Circus?!

A lot of things do come home with me, yes! I’m currently sitting with two enormous lampshades that I recently brought home. The beauty of vintage and sustainable buys though is that they hold their value. You buy them cheaper, you take them home and use them, and even if, many years later, you want to sell them on, the pieces won’t lose value as modern items do. Plus, there’s always a market for great quality vintage if something has great style and character – that never goes out of fashion.