Ilkeston-based pram shop owner celebrates three years in business

A mum from Ilkeston is celebrating three years since relocating her expanding business from the town to a site in Nottingham.

Kelly Carter's pram shop first opened in Bath Street eight years ago after she fell pregnant, and couldn't find a pushchair nor the advice she needed from big stores that she had visited, but latterly moved to bigger premises in the City in 2020, developing from a £100,000 annual turnover to become a multi-million-pound business.  Her new site opened shortly after Mothercare went into administration.

The 34-year-old still runs premises in Ilkeston with the main shop being stocked from a new 17,000 sq ft warehouse.

Reflecting on her success, Kelly said: “We have 11 staff now at the shop and warehouse. Many have come from leading department stores.  We do things differently here and I had to retrain them all."

Kelly, who is married to Terry, 44, and mum to Owen, eight, and 11-year-old Connor, said the secret to her success is to “work really hard, know what your customers want, be unique and down-to-earth and have a good team behind you, as you are nothing without your team”.

“I wouldn't be where I am today without my amazing staff and I put my heart and soul into training them,” she added.