
Rosemount candle shop owner: 'This area is like a shopping village... Why would I ever want to leave?'
But when she transformed her pandemic hobby of hand-making candles into an online business operated from her spare bedroom, one thing just led to another.
And now she runs her very own shop on Aberdeen's buzzing Rosemount Place.
It's been a whirlwind four years for the 46-year-old, as she poured everything into building her luxury fragrance business Heartfelt Aromas from scratch.
Almost two years since opening her Rosemount shop, we caught up with Claire.
The independent trader tells us:
I'm met with a warm smile as Claire welcomes me into the sweetly-scented Heartfelt Aromas.
After working full time as a hairdresser for 25 years, Claire decided it was 'time for a change' when she was furloughed during Covid.
Having 'always loved candles' she decided to do an online candle-making course to pass the time while out of action.
Claire, who has rheumatoid arthritis, says she also 'noticed a big difference' as the condition became more manageable when she took a break from her busy job.
But despite this, she didn't see it as anything other than a way to while away the long hours stuck indoors. At first, anyway.
'I didn't actually think initially I would start a business, I was just doing it as a bit of a hobby in between furlough and going back to work,' Claire recalls.
'I then started getting more and more people saying they love them and then I thought I might actually try and sell these. The shop was definitely not a plan!
'It just started evolving…'
Claire took a leap of faith and launched her Heartfelt Aromas business online in early 2021, starting off by selling through her website and social media.
But making and storing everything in her spare bedroom, she admits, 'became a bit overwhelming' as she soon ran out of space.
Her husband David then suggested finding her own shop.
'I always said I would like to work in a gift shop – I don't know if I ever thought I would like to own one,' Claire chuckles.
'I never saw myself as a business owner and I still sometimes feel a bit numb, like it's not really my shop.
'But I'm massively proud of where I've got to.'
Claire opened up her charming store at the former Belvidere Gallery in September 2023 and hasn't looked back since.
She tells me: 'Rosemount is a thriving little area, it's a busy little area with good footfall.
'It's like a little shopping village.
'Everyone's really supportive, the whole community support each other.'
With a smile, Claire explains how she directs people to other Rosemount businesses if she doesn't have something someone is looking for…
'I think they do the same for me, so we all kind of help each other which I think is really supportive,' she adds.
Earlier this week, The Press and Journal revealed how retail expert Jonathan De Mello had also been taken with this 'shopping village' while on a recent scouting mission in the city.
The guru has been hired to help fill empty city centre units, and reckons one method would be luring independent traders from Rosemount onto Union Street with the promise of bigger premises, cut-price deals and higher footfall.
So would Claire ever be tempted to make the move?
She tells us it was Rosemount's image as a hub for independent outlets that enticed her there in the first place.
And the crafter adds: 'I can't see it being anywhere else now to be honest, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.'
Claire continues: 'If I had to move or anything I would think, 'where do I go, because I wouldn't want to be in another area'.
'It's definitely the right spot, it is a really special area.'
And on that note, we take a wee break to let Claire greet a customer who is visiting the shop for the first time.
I ask whether there are a lot of first-time customers.
'On average I would say somebody new walks through the door every day and they'll say, 'oh I didn't know you were here, how long have you been open?'' Claire tells me.
'But all in all, I would say I'm doing well – this year was better than last year.'
And earlier this year, Claire's hard work was recognised as she received Specialist Retailer of the Year at the Scottish Independent Retail Awards.
'I still can't get my head around that, if I'm being honest,' she laughs.
'I was actually so stunned that I cried on stage.
'I couldn't say a word, because I was just like what, my tiny little solo business!'
Exclusive: Retail expert says Union Street deals could lure traders from buzzing Rosemount
Was my trip to an Aberdeen refill shop cheaper than a supermarket? Let's find out…
Meet the face behind Aberdeen's latest independent bookshop – Somerville Books

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


STV News
5 hours ago
- STV News
Leisure centre to reopen two years after closure over severe storm damage
Girvan's Quay Zone leisure centre is on track to reopen early next year after being forced to close due to severe storm damage in January 2024. And it is expected that an extension will be complete by March next year. The facility, operated by South Carrick Community Leisure (SCCL) under a 40-year lease from South Ayrshire Council, was left uninhabitable after Storm Isha and subsequent stormy weather caused major water ingress. Since then, services have been delivered from temporary locations in Maybole and Girvan to keep the community's swimming, gym, and fitness programmes running. Within a month of the closure, SCCL negotiated a temporary lease for the recently vacated Maybole Swimming Pool, allowing general and lane swimming, Aquafit, and a Learn to Swim programme to continue. A temporary gym was set up in Girvan Community Centre in July 2024, offering a full range of equipment and a limited schedule of fitness classes. School swimming lessons were also maintained thanks to funding from Carrick Futures, the Tralorg Community Benefit Fund, and Girvan and South Carrick Local Place Plan funding. In 2025, 289 local pupils took part, up from 242 in 2024, with Girvan Primary joining the programme for the first time since the closure. The report to South Ayrshire Council's Services and Partnerships Performance Panel stated that, prior to the storm, the Quay Zone was on course for a post-Covid recovery year, with income expected to be 7.5 per cent higher than the previous year. While the closure resulted in trading losses, the facility should not lose out overall, with insurance payments expected to bring the 2024–25 accounts to a balanced position. Repair work, managed by the council's design and asset teams alongside insurers, is expected to return the pool, gym, and studio spaces to SCCL by the end of December 2025. , An extension, due for completion in March 2026, will expand the café, add meeting and function space, and create a balcony with views of Ailsa Craig and Woodlands Bay. SCCL General Manager, Peter Linton, praised staff for their flexibility and commitment in maintaining services over the past 18 months, despite operational challenges with older facilities and staffing logistics. Councillors on the Service and Partnerships Performance Panel will scrutinise the update at their meeting on August 20. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country


Metro
8 hours ago
- Metro
The Claire's shops that could close as retailer falls into administration
Claire's shops across the UK could face closure after the retailer filed for administration. The jewellery and accessories business filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators on Wednesday – with Interpath expected to take on the role in the coming days. The move will raise fears over the future of its 306 stores, with 278 across the UK and 28 in Ireland. The potential closures mean 2,150 jobs could be at risk. For now, Claire's shops remain open after Interpath confirmed in a statement on Wednesday evening it appointed Will Wright and Chris Pole as joint administrators. It comes after Claire's US and Canada commenced court-supervised restructuring proceedings after filing for bankruptcy. Separate proceedings are already ongoing in Germany and Austria. Chris Cramer, chief executive of Claire's, said: 'This decision, while difficult, is part of our broader effort to protect the long-term value of Claire's across all markets. 'In the UK, taking this step will allow us to continue to trade the business while we explore the best possible path forward. We are deeply grateful to our employees, partners and our customers during this challenging period.' With more than 300 stores in the UK and Ireland, all four nations could be impacted by store closures. Below is a full list of how many Claire's shops could be at risk of closure across each region in the UK and Ireland. London and Greater London – 20 North East – 9 North West – 27 Yorkshire – 21 East Midlands – 17 West Midlands – 25 South East – 49 East of England – 25 South West – 27 Scotland – 27 Wales – 17 Ireland – 10 Claire's has more than 280 stores across the UK, but the business incurred losses of around £25million over the last few years prompting it to file for administration. Sean Moran, restructuring and insolvency partner at law firm, Shakespeare Martineau, said the rise of new online stories, the popularity of social media platforms, and US President Donald Trump's recent tariff hikes could all be factors in the retailer's demise. He told Metro: 'The fashion and accessories space has been flooded with new competition in recent years. 'From new online stores pushing the boundaries of fast fashion prices, like Shein and Temu, which benefit from low value import loopholes, to entirely new retail platforms surging in popularity, like Instagram and TikTok, the retailers largely 'bricks and mortar' presence has struggled to compete. 'Ongoing geopolitical considerations, including Trump's much publicised tariff onslaught, combined with a general downturn in consumer and high street spending, created a perfect storm for the well-loved brand.' Claire's is the latest wave of British high street retailers closing with dozens of shops to close in August. More Trending Arts and crafts store Hobbycraft recently announced it would be closing nine more stores this year as the company continues to go through a restructuring process. Supermarket chain Morrisons revealed it axed more than 3,600 jobs after closing 17 of its stores last year. Meanwhile, River Island was close to meeting the same fate as Claire's but was saved from collapsing into administration. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: The common pub habit that marks you out as a 'nightmare' punter MORE: Capri pants are the hybrid item to see you through summer well into autumn MORE: Anya Hindmarch's Universal Bag is making a comeback – here's how to get your hands on the designer tote


The Herald Scotland
11 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Once beloved of young girls, what has gone wrong with Claire's?
Claire's has been a staple on high streets across the UK and Ireland, since it first opened in Britain in 1997. It was the first shop my friends and I would run to after getting our £5 pocket money from our parents back in 2010 but, as we got older, we left it behind. Hearing of the closure, I couldn't help but feel sad, a part of my childhood was being taken away so I headed down to my local shopping centre, Buchanan Galleries in Glasgow, to see what's changed. Turns out, it's nothing. The shop looked as if it had been standing still in time since my last visit in 2018. Same purple interior, same packaging, same bright pencil cases and toys that cover the shop wall to wall. Sitting across from one of its competitors, Lovisa, whose stores are designed in a minimalist, luxury style, Claire's looked like a cluttered mess. Worse, while it was full of displays and posters for deals it was devoid of customers. So why aren't people shopping here anymore? While in the store, I reached for a white flower hair clip, nice, but nothing special. Turning it over to check the price, it quickly got put back. With the rise of Chinese online companies like Shien and Temu, it's hard to justify £6 for one hair clip when you can buy three identical-looking ones for only £2 online. I checked out a pair of cat ears on an early Halloween stall which were £8. Even those who don't shop online at cheap e-tailers know this is extortionate, one Google search later and a similar pair of ears was on my phone for £2.50 from Sainsbury's. Even the pencil cases were priced at over tenner. If I was going back to school, I know my mum wouldn't have let me go near them and would have me pick something from ASDA instead. Claire's reputation took a hit when stories of piercings gone wrong surfaced. As someone with many piercings, one of which closed over after I got it from Claire's, I think the retailer made a major strategic mistake here. The use of guns can cause swelling, longer healing times and potential complications due to blunt force trauma. When I passed my driving test, I wanted to celebrate. I made my way to Claire's and got my first cartilage piercing. It never healed. I had to take it out three months later. I spoke to a former customer who said: "I knew loads of people with infections and swore I'd never go back". Their Instagram and TikTok come across as lazy and uninspired. The two social media are a copy of one another. Instagram is an unorganised mess, posts look unprofessional, with dark lighting and low quality. @Clairesstores have eight highlights that are random and inconsistent. One highlight, 'Wicked' has only 2 posts, both of which are from last year. Scrolling through, I found only one professional-looking post, where they used fruit wedges to model different ear jewellery during summer. That was well done but it needs more of that. After my shop and scroll, it's no surprise Claire's is failing. A rebrand should have commenced years ago. Prices need to be realistic to attract pocket-money customers. The shops, of which there are 278 in the UK, can still be an easy go-to when you need some last minute hair gems, but that's often a last resort when there's no time to buy them off Amazon. And that's just not good enough.