The Story Behind Gifts & Giggles Galore

If you’d told me a few years ago that I’d be running a shop on Main Street, Ballyclare, filled with the work of nearly 40 independent small businesses, I’d probably have laughed at you.

Yet here we are!

There is actually a very personal reason behind Gifts & Giggles Galore and, strangely enough, it all goes back to CalmReLeaf.

From CalmReLeaf to Gifts & Giggles Galore

If you’ve already read my CalmReLeaf story, you’ll know getting that business established wasn’t exactly plain sailing.

CBD came with a huge amount of stigma. When I started, I had no customer reviews, no success stories and certainly no big name behind me. It was basically just me, my own experience and a product I genuinely believed in.

Even getting into fairs and events was difficult simply because I sold CBD.

There were definitely moments when I thought, why am I bothering?

Am I glad I bothered? Absolutely.

I kept going, kept turning up and kept telling my story. Slowly, people gave CalmReLeaf a chance and then their experiences began speaking louder than I ever could.

Today, thousands of humans and furry friends use my products, which still blows my mind a wee bit when I think back to where it started.

But I never forgot how difficult those early days were.

I know what it’s like to create something you believe in and struggle to get it seen. To have nobody recognise your business name. To be trying to build trust from absolutely nothing and just wishing somebody would give you an opportunity.

And that became a huge part of the reason I opened Gifts & Giggles Galore.

I wanted to give other small businesses the chance I would have loved when I was starting out.

Not a wee shelf hidden in a corner, but a proper space where their work could be seen, their name could become known and customers could discover the actual people behind the products.

So, What Exactly Is Gifts & Giggles Galore?

Today, Gifts & Giggles Galore is home to nearly 40 independent makers and small businesses, all under one roof, each bringing something completely different to the shop.

You can walk through our door looking for a wee inexpensive gift or something really special and have plenty to choose from.

We have handmade, personalised and one-of-a-kind pieces for all ages and occasions, alongside home and fragrance, jewellery and accessories, baby and children’s items, pet goodies, art and handcrafted creations, flowers and keepsakes, beauty and self-care, Northern Ireland gifts and souvenirs, sweet treats, fresh bakes and, of course, my own CalmReLeaf range.

Our Northern Ireland collection is always popular too, with magnets, notepads, glassware, mugs, keyrings and tins, and naturally there’s plenty of N.I. humour and craic amongst it!

If you want something that wee bit more personal, we’ve got you covered there too. From pebble art, slate tiles and coasters to gifts made especially for you, many of our talented lot can personalise or create pieces for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, new babies, graduations, memorials, Christmas and just about every occasion in between.

And then there’s that person who is an absolute nightmare to buy for.

Send them to me. We’ll find something!

The best way I can describe the shop?

You really need to come in and have a nosey.

There’s far too much to fit into one list, stock is constantly changing and half the fun is finding something you didn’t even know you were looking for.

More Than Just a Gift Shop

Somewhere along the way, this wee shop became much more than I originally imagined.

People come in for a browse and end up staying for a chat. There’s always a bit of craic at the counter, dogs are very welcome and so are prams and wheelchairs. You can grab a tea or coffee and a traybake, join one of our workshops or simply wander round at your own pace.

You absolutely do not have to buy something every time you come through the door.

Although obviously…I’m not going to stop you!

We have special events, classes, late openings and new things appearing all the time because apparently I’m incapable of just opening a normal shop and leaving it at that.

But that’s exactly how I like it.

I want Gifts & Giggles Galore to be somewhere you enjoy visiting, not somewhere you feel you have to rush in, buy something and rush back out again.

Supporting Small & Keeping Main Street Alive

I’m a huge believer in supporting our high street, and I’m incredibly proud to have created something like this right here in Ballyclare.

I still regularly hear, “I didn’t know this shop was here!” or, even better, “I had no idea you had all this in here!”

Apparently we may be one of Ballyclare’s best-kept secrets… although I’m doing my best to put a stop to that!

When you spend with us, that money reaches real people. The person making, designing, creating or building the products you see. People growing businesses of their own and doing a wee happy dance when something sells.

I know exactly what that feels like.

A Wee Thank You From Us

Our Giggles Reward Card is another way I wanted to give something back to the customers who continually support us.

Spend £20 or more in store and you’ll earn a stamp. Fill your card and there’ll be a wrapped Mystery Gift waiting behind the counter.

And then there’s the Golden Giggle…

Get one of those and your mystery gift gets an upgrade!

No complicated points or working out what you’re entitled to.

You support us. We reward you. Simple.

And That’s Us!

When I look around the shop now, I don’t just see products on shelves.

I see people who took a chance on their idea.

I see businesses getting their names recognised.

I see customers coming back through the door.

And I see something that grew from my own experience of simply wanting somebody to give my small business a chance.

CalmReLeaf taught me what can happen when you keep going and people eventually believe in what you’re doing.

Gifts & Giggles Galore is my way of giving that chance to someone else.

It’s quirky, friendly, occasionally chaotic and there’s usually plenty of laughter coming from somewhere.

In other words…

it’s very me.

Come in, have a nosey and see for yourself.

Gifts & Giggles Galore

70–72 Main Street, Ballyclare

Nearly 40 small businesses. One wee shop. And a whole lot of stories behind what’s on those shelves.