Newly relocated family business is 'bang on'!

​Natalie and Stephan Alvarez are the team behind craft blanks wholesalers Bang on Blanks Ltd and Bebemakes, a personalised gift shop, and will be officially opening the doors of their newly renovated premises on Warwick Road on Louth’s Fairfield Industrial Estate next month.

The business first came to be back in 2016 when Natalie was on maternity leave with daughter Phoebe, and needed a source of income that would fit in with family life.

So along with her sister, they began the business from their home in Essex which became very successful, albeit chaotic with their home filled with boxes.

Then when her sister stepped away, Stephan joined the team and business has been booming ever since, with Phoebe, now 9, Fletcher, 6, and Tianna, 1, getting involved as well.

When the family made the decision to follow Natalie’s parents in their plans to relocate from Essex to the Louth area, settling in North Somercotes in October, the opportunity came to take on the unit on the industrial estate, and Natalie said it was like a “dream come true”.

“This is really exciting for us, after running the business for seven years to finally have a showroom, not just a unit, is a huge and very exciting step forward for us,” Stephen said.

"During Covid everyone was online shopping and we were working like crazy and home schooling, but this has been our goal for ages to have our own workspace to work from.”

Bang On Blank’s most popular products are their water bottles which come in eight different colours and two different sizes and have been a staple for the business.

All of their products can be personalised as part of their BebeMakes venture, and now they do everything from hip flasks to dog water bowls, cushion covers, Santa sacks and stockings, caddies, mugs, coasters and much more.

You can come and meet the team at their open day on Saturday May 11 from 10am to 2pm, and you can also meet Stephan and Natalie’s three apprentices!