Lewisham businesses reopen: an interview with Celena Fernandez, owner of Ansa Vintage

Ansa Vintage is an independent boutique, selling pre-loved fashion. It is based in Forest Hill and is firmly rooted in the local community. We caught up with one of the owners, Celena Fernandez to find out about her experiences of the past year and how she feels about reopening.

Tell us a bit about your business

We opened Ansa Vintage in 2020. It is all about the joy and creativity of re-using fashion. We offer beautiful vintage clothes at affordable prices. Having our own shop has been a dream for a while. We have a background in fashion retail and an interest in sustainability. We chose Forest Hill because we live locally. It has a strong sense of identity and a very big heart. The friendliness of the area is a regular topic of conversation in the shop.

What was it like to set up a business during the pandemic?

It’s been a real rollercoaster ride. We'd initially planned to launch in April 2020 but then the pandemic struck. We ended up opening in September 2020. Not for long though as we went into lockdown a few weeks later. We then reopened in December, only to have to close again just before Christmas.

Then during lockdown, my children had to take priority. I was in charge of home-schooling. However I was able to take the time to grow Ansa’s social media presence, which is critical for us as a fashion business. It’s meant that we’ve been able to build a loyal following, even while the shop was closed.

Has the council been supportive?

We’ve just received our grant which is a massive relief as it means we can pay our rent. Also there’s a real drive towards to shopping local at the moment, and we're really pleased that the council has spotted a window of opportunity here with the shop local campaign. We’ve had visits recently from council representatives who came offering advice and free tote bags for our customers which is great.

What safety measures have you put in place to welcome customers back?

The safety of staff and customers is our absolute top priority. We’ve put a hand sanitizer station at the entrance to the shop. We limit the amount of customers allowed in to the shop to two at any one time, to allow for social distancing and masks are compulsory for staff and customers.

How do you feel about things returning to normal?

It’s lovely to see business returning to normal along the high street. We think this step by step approach is good for building confidence, both businesses and customers. There is definitely a stronger sense of community right now. It feels like new businesses are being welcomed more than ever, that people now appreciate how important a local and functioning high street really is.

Any regular customers that you’re looking forward to seeing again?

Even after only trading for such a short time, Ansa has established a strong & loyal customer base, many of whom have quickly become friends. The stock changes each week which keeps interest high as people will check in regularly to see what’s new. As things have been subdued for so long it’s a massive privilege to be able to offer the pleasures of vintage fashion once again. The great thing about pre-loved clothes is that they’re about longevity. There are parallels to shops on the high street. We all want to be around for a long time to come!

Any plans for the future?

At present it’s just lovely to be open again and trading responsibly. We do have community events like Fashion Carboot Sales in the offing, as soon as soon as social distancing allows. Other than that we are continuing to focus on growing Ansa’s customer base, welcoming new faces and playing a part in the continued growth of our evolving high street. We feel like we’re in a very fortunate position.

You can find Ansa Vintage at 95 Dartmouth Rd, London SE23 3HT or on Instagram @ansa_vintage_london