Name: Paul and Sheila Lipson

Business: Antiques at 54

Opening times: Wednesday, Friday and Saturday between 9am and 3.30pm

When did you open your business and why?

I OPENED here about 12 years ago after we moved into the area – we were looking for somewhere to have a permanent base when we got here, and we found the market. We had the business before coming to Oswestry as well, so in all we’ve been open for about 45 years.

We moved from Buckinghamshire, and since being here it has been good and the market is a really nice, family-oriented place to be.

Why in this location?

WE MOVED here because we had got married and wanted a new start really.

My wife knew the area and liked it very much here, and so we came here.

Oswestry is very very similar to the town which I grew up in, in Buckinghamshire. It is similar in its size and has some of the old-fashioned aspects, which I think is a good thing.

Tell us about your business

ORIGINALLY I had one stall upstairs at the market, but then I expanded to have a double-unit.

We then moved downstairs and were able to get a double-unit here too, so the unit next door is now used for the books side of things.

I buy and sell collectable items and antiques including coins, badges, medals, postcards and jewellery among many other items really.

There is a whole wide range of things we offer, and the main thing I think we specialise in is the collectable side of things.

And like I said about next door, we have books now as well, so we offer a lot of non-fictional reading material in there.

I think we are certainly unique in what we offer. People come to me and ask me about specific items that they can’t find anywhere else.

I know online marketplaces are really good for what they are, but I do think, especially with things like this, people still like to have that face-to-face contact with people and to be able to ask questions.

If people feel you have knowledge on a topic, it makes them take more of an interest.

I think people like honesty when buying something – I wouldn’t give people a load of old waffle just to be able to give them something, I’d rather be honest with them because I think it’s something they appreciate.

What is your proudest moment?

IN THE collectable side of things, it’s being able to find items that people have been looking for for a long time.

Me having that for them, which could be completing a larger set of something, is something I do feel proud of.

It doesn’t need to be an item of great value, but it gives me great pleasure being able to help someone in that way, and to give them happiness by helping them achieve something they haven’t achieved before.

Any strange requests?

I’M SURE there have been over the years, but none that jump out.