“There’s only one Mirror Mirror and people appreciate our honesty”

The shop, which specialises in women’s fashion and accessories, opened its doors in October 2017 after owner Lisa Kenrick-Thacker ran the business from her home in Nutgrove.

Here, in our Trader of the Week feature, Lisa tells us how she juggles running the shop with working full time as an executive assistant, how business boomed during the Covid-19 pandemic and why her customers rely on her honesty when it comes to buying clothes.

Mirror Mirror opened in Nutgrove in October 2017

What’s the name of the business?

Mirror Mirror Fashion

What’s the address?

202 Nutgrove Road, Nutgrove, St Helens, WA9 5JP

Are you the owner/manager?

I am the owner

When did you open the business?

I opened the shop five years ago in October 2017, although I had been selling online and from home for three years prior to that, so eight years in total that the business has been in existence. We recently celebrated the shop’s 5th anniversary, which is a huge achievement for a small business, especially in the current economic climate.

The stock is updated regularly to ensure the latest trends are on sale

Has it always been in the same location?

Before I opened the shop I was based at home. It was great at first, as I could fit it around my two daughters. They are now 15 and 12 and both attend Rainhill High School. One night, I held an open night and had about 50 strangers in my home. At that point I knew I had outgrown the house and needed some premises!

Are you local to the area? Did you grow up here?

I have always lived in Nutgrove, St Helens and don’t ever intend to move. I love the area and the people. Opening the shop so close to home has made it that bit more special and it’s nice to see familiar faces that I’ve known for years as well as being able to welcome new customers to the shop.

Tell me a bit about your business. What do you do? What services do you provide?

We are a fast-moving fashion business based locally in St Helens. We pride ourselves on providing a personalised shopping experience in a modern boutique. We also sell via social media, such as Facebook and Instagram, and post out orders all over the UK.

Eye-catching colours are available in the shop

Why did you decide to open your own business?

I decided to open Mirror Mirror as I saw a gap in the market. At the time, there were no other businesses locally that sold bags and accessories, so I thought I’d buy £50 worth of necklaces and bags and see what happened. And here we are! My customers started asking if I could stock coats and before I knew it I was stocking a full range of ladies fashion.

What’s your business background?

As well as Mirror Mirror, I am also an executive assistant and work full time, which people are often surprised about. I work for the owners of a national fragrance retailer and have worked for other influential people over the past 20 years. Working with a variety of business owners has given me insight into how successful businesses are run and I use the skills I have picked up every day. However, I do think the key to having a successful fashion business is an eye for fashion and buying new things. I love shopping myself and enjoy choosing new stock that reflect the upcoming trends.

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Why this type of business?

I love shopping and I love clothes so it all came very naturally.

How did the Covid-19 pandemic affect your business?

During lockdowns, we weren’t allowed to open, but it actually improved business. It was the busiest period we have had to date. I started a Friday Night Live segment on social media which I still do. I show all the new stock and give ideas about how to wear certain items. Each week during the pandemic, we had a queue down the street of customers waiting to collect their orders. I’m proud of the fact I was able to think outside of the box during a really difficult time and was able to welcome so many more customers.

Lisa Kenrick-Thacker has a keen eye for fashion

What makes your business different to others in the same area/field? What sets your business apart from your competitors?

I think the simple answer is there’s only one Mirror Mirror! People buy from us because we care, we know our customers and we recognise when people need help. We are always honest when people try clothes on – there’s no hidden agenda to get sales. What you see is what you get and people love our honesty. I’d rather somebody walk out the door without buying something than walk out with something that will sit at the back of the wardrobe. Customers appreciate this which is why they keep coming back.

What’s next? What do the next few months hold for you and your business?

We have exciting plans for Mirror Mirror in 2023. After Christmas we will be working on launching our long-awaited website. We are also aware we need to remain relevant on social media so will be branching out into TikTok and other social media channels. We’re hoping to organise a local fashion show where we can support at least one local charity. St Helens is really important to us and we want to make sure that we give back to our community.

Lisa enjoying and stocking the latest trends