'It is hard, but it's the best thing I have ever done'
Posted on: 16 Jul 2020In autumn 2018, Michelle Kingscott was juggling a full-time job with the launch of her very own business.
“We decorated the whole thing, me and my husband. We’ve got two kids at home too," Michelle told 365Bristol.
"We were basically doing 24-hour days. We were working full-time, then coming here during the night."
Thanks to their hard work, Michelle is now the proud owner of Card Shack, an independent card and gift shop inside The Arcade, a Grade II listed shopping quarter in central Bristol.
Inside, Card Shack is fun and vibrant; brimming with quirky gifts and greetings cards that’ll make you giggle, with a strong focus on local produce.
Michelle single-handedly selects the shop’s diverse stock, a task informed by her many years in retail.
Michelle stood outside Card Shack, celebrating Pride 2019
Find Card Shack in The Arcade shopping quarter, in Broadmead
Born and raised in Bristol, Michelle grew up in Brislington and has worked in central Bristol’s retail industry since she was sixteen years old.
Before launching Card Shack, she worked for a large greetings card chain, where she becomes acutely aware of the market’s popularity. Reflecting on her previous role, Michelle explains:
“With cards, I couldn’t keep up. I was always filling the shelves!
“People used to come in and ask me for work from Bristol artists, which is something we never stocked,” she continues. “I knew that a lot of it was up Gloucester Road, and not in town. So, I thought I’d bring it here.”
And that’s what she did. At Card Shack, the work of local creators and makers is placed front and centre - a rare sight in Broadmead, which is home to big high street stores and large suppliers.
In fact, Michelle says that local produce is by far her most popular stock, including that of the East Bristol-based illustrator SNIPPET. 
Designs by SNIPPET focus on colour, shape and symmetry
Since the shop opened, Card Shack has gone from strength to strength. Recently, it was named Bristol’s ‘Best Greetings Card Shop 2020’ in the Acquisition International Business Excellence Awards.
But like many stores on the high street, Card Shack was hit hard with the outbreak of coronavirus. I ask Michelle how things have been since lockdown began in March:
“Hard,” she laughs, followed by a sigh. Michelle recalls the beginning of lockdown which coincided with Mother’s Day – a big holiday, and in this case, a hefty loss, for retailers like Card Shack.
“I kind of shut off for two or three weeks – I didn’t really know what to do.”
In response, Michelle decided to build an online store for Card Shack - from scratch. She spent “six days straight” on the project.
Alongside cards, Card Shack stocks gifts and posters, and provides a gift wrapping service
Now Michelle is back on the shopfloor, where things have been slower than usual. But Michelle is motivated to carry on:
“I just enjoy opening every day, and creating a fun shop,” she says, as we chat about Card Shack’s plentiful stock of witty cards.
“I enjoy the company; I enjoy choosing the stock. I enjoy the customers that come in – I don’t want to do another job!
“I’m willing to give it a blast, and put more time into it until it picks up again,” Michelle resolves. “It is hard, but it's the best thing I have ever done.” 
Find Card Shack: Unit 5, The Arcade, Broadmead, BS1 3JA
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