Penn Commercial is thrilled to have helped Harry Smy grow his business Forge and Finds from a starter unit in Carr Street’s Microshops to his very own destination store in one of Ipswich’s main thoroughfares, at 36 Lloyds Avenue.
Forge and Finds offers a one-stop shop for comics, trading cards and collectibles, and is open every day to buy, sell, trade, game and chat.
Harry explained his business ethos to Ipswich.co.uk in a recent interview as ‘building community, not just commerce’:
"You don't have to be an expert to walk through the door – the shop was built to be just as welcoming for curious newcomers as it is for long-time collectors.
"Celebrating the shop's first anniversary and realising I hadn't just built a place to buy things – I'd built a community.
“Seeing regulars bring in friends and family, watching new collectors find their first spark, and being part of people's stories – that's what makes it worth it.
"Thank you so much for the support in helping us find our new home. We cannot wait to share the space with our community. Your team have been amazing, Paul has gone above and beyond to support us!"
Harry will be unveiling the new-look Forge and Finds and his expanded premises tomorrow, Saturday 4th October.
We wish Harry and all his customers, loyal and new, a fantastic fantasy future in their new home!
You can read the full Ipswich.co.uk story on Harry and his transition from researcher, consultant, and teacher to retail owner and ‘geek culture’ community builder at https://www.ipswich.co.uk/articles/forge-and-finds