SCHOOL sweethearts Alice Hartley and David Halliday are opening their third ladies accessories store in just over a year at a Birkenhead shopping centre.

Alice, 25, and David, 27, are bucking the economic trend after expanding their business to Pyramids Shopping Centre after only launching their company in July last year.

And the young Blackpool entrepreneurs are delighted to have chosen Birkenhead for their latest new venture which opened on Saturday, September 21.

Derek Millar, Commercial Director for Pyramids Shopping Centre, said: “We have had a surge of new businesses open with us over the last few weeks – six in just a matter of weeks – and Bowtique is a fantastic addition to the indoor part of Pyramids Shopping Centre.

“Alice and David’s shop reflects their young and dynamic set up. It is really colourful, eye catching and full of good quality and attractive stock at reasonable prices which people will be able to treat themselves to. Especially as we start to look forward to the run up to the festive season.”

David says they decided Pyramids Shopping Centre was the perfect venue for their third store.

He said: “Alice is my fiancée and we have been together for more than 10 years having met at school. We launched Bowtique, a ladies fashion accessory business, in July last year with our first shop in Preston.

“We followed that up with the second shop in St Helens earlier this year and now Birkenhead. It means we have been exceptionally busy and not getting a lot of sleep but we are both delighted with the way the business is going.

“The decision to open in Birkenhead was a lot easier after we visited the Pyramids Shopping Centre.

“We looked at several shopping centres to be perfectly honest but Pyramids was by far the busiest and the centre management were more professional and really made us feel welcome.

“And the shoppers were so friendly and have also made us feel so welcome. We wanted to open a third store close to St Helens as we are so pleased with the way the business has been received in the region.”

Alice says the business concentrates on ladies fashion accessories such as handbags, purses and costume jewellery.

She said: “For most people money is tight so we try to make our products affordable. We don’t sell quality products cheaply but we do feel affordability is vital.

“We are delighted with the way the business is developing although it really is hard work. And now we have three outlets it means we have more bargaining power with suppliers and that means, as we can buy in bulk, we can reduce our prices too.”

And the new Bowtique shop is proving good news for the local Birkenhead economy too.

David said: “The Pyramids shop will be managed by one of our current managers who is moving to Birkenhead. We have opened the new store using current staff but we will now be taking on an additional four or five new full-time members of staff.

“And we fitted out our new Pyramids Shopping Centre outlet using local trades people, something we feel was important.

“All the glass fittings were sourced from St Helens while the joiners, carpet fitters and painter and decorators were local Birkenhead people.

“We believe Bowtique will be an asset to Birkenhead and Pyramids Shopping Centre and we look forward to a long and busy relationship with the town.”

For more information about Pyramids Shopping Centre, go to www.grangeandpyramids.co.uk