It’s known as “Yorkshire’s best kept secret”- and we can see why.
With the cost of living soaring, it’s becoming increasingly expensive to buy essentials, let alone miscellaneous snacks or luxury goods.
Even the pound stores are charging more than their promised price in their stores. It’s really a month where we’re all feeling the squeeze.
A market stall turned store in Otley is changing the narrative around affordable products and charging just 20p for any product instore.
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That’s less than the average Freddo frog these days.
The store started off at the markets but decided to take the plunge and open a permanent store around four years ago- and have kept their prices low ever since.
The store isn’t a charity shop, it simply relies on buying from wholesalers to keep their prices down. As the owners aren’t afraid to buy in bulk and purchase a variety unconventional goods, given the store’s popularity, any and all products tend to be snapped up quickly.
Generally, there’s an incredible range of greeting cards for sale, as well as sweet snacks, savoury packets (like Pot Noodles), over 1000 vinyl records and more for sale.
More recently, donations are being taken and resold at the single price of 20p, regardless of their value. Usually, that might mean greeting cards or DVDs, but the store has been known to stock what look like Christian Louboutini shoes and pictures worth £120 that have been resold by buyers for a profit.
In a recent interview, Owner Steve Nelson said that “Everyone gets a chance, everyone is equal. Not everything has to be about money”.
The store is run by Steve and a team of volunteers, including family members, who welcome anyone into their bargain hunter’s paradise.
Inside the 20p store, the same buyers can be found two or three times a day checking for new finds, whilst on a Saturday the hidden gem is packed with individuals looking for rare finds or a tasty bar of chocolate alike.
The store has attracted customers from as far as Glasgow and Ireland, but locally The 20p Shop is a popular spot for students and locals alike.
Although Steve has said it would be near impossible at present to open a store in any other location due to a lack of staff, but he did hint that Headingley would be their next opening if or when the timing is right.
For now, the Otley store remains a hidden treasure trove of bargains, even Owner Steve has admitted: “People don’t like telling each other because they’re worried they’ll take the bargains”.
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To find out what bargains you could get your hands on, Steve posts regular Facebook updates, but the majority of finds can only be seen in the flesh inside the 20p store on Kirkgate, Otley.
Feature Image- The 20p Shop, Otley
