New look shop casts spell on customers

One of Teesside’s quirkiest shops has doubled in size, with an even bigger array of cultural gifts and treasures, to the delight of its customers.

Nicole Bean, who started trading at Middlesbrough’s Dundas Indoor Market more than eight years ago, describes Alta Ego as “our little spiritual and esoteric corner of the world.”

She sells crystals, incense, pagan supplies and gifts, books, clothing, jewellery, fair-trade products and “all manner of treasures”.  Her spell kits to help people celebrate the Summer Solstice – the pagan holiday of Litha –  sold out well before the longest day of the year.

Amy Knight travels on bus from Hartlepool to shop at Alta Ego because, she says, there is nothing like it in the whole of the Tees Valley: “It’s like walking into a second home. The atmosphere is brilliant and obviously you can’t ask for a better woman to run it, she’s lovely,” Amy’s relatives, who live in Leeds, are also regular customers.

So is Amanda Dawson from Middlesbrough, who is hugely impressed by the new shop.  “It’s a lot better.  There’s more choice and more room to move – and I’ll probably end up spending more,” she said.

A couple of weeks after the re-opening Nicole says shoppers are staying longer and more space makes it easier for people with mobility issues or pushing buggies.

That is good for her sales and also provides her with opportunities to interact.  “I always say the shop’s my social life as well as my job,” she said.  “I really missed that during the fortnight we were getting the shop ready.”

Alta Ego is now one of the oldest businesses in Dundas Indoor Market and Nicole is delighted at the recent investment which has added 2,500 sq. ft of space to create seven new units for local independent traders.

“I just love being in here.  We’ve got a real family thing going on and all the businesses who move here really buy into that,” she said.

She is also full of praise for the Market Manager David Harris and managing agent Dodds Brown who have supported her expansion plans.

“It’s not just about the numbers,” she said.  “They really do have an interest in helping local small businesses.”

As well as the new look Alta Ego two other independent traders have just opened in the Market: TPD, an event and party planning business, and DM – African Hair and Fashion.