A unique shop selling handcrafted Lincoln imps will be a “great way to bring visitors” to the city, its owners have said.
The Lincoln Imporium – the region’s first experiential retailer – opened its doors in Steep Hill last month.
As well as selling dozens of different imp models – which are all made from natural materials and take roughly four days to create – the store also has a range of interactive elements for customers to enjoy.
These include button-pressed pictures of imps disappearing and a large handmade tree nestled in the corner of the shop.
Thomas Atkins, the shop’s co-owner, said: “We want customers to feel that they’ve stepped back in time.”
And he added: “We realised the imp was an unexplored symbol of Lincoln. It’s a great way to bring in visitors and is a direct investment in Lincoln tourism. I really hope through this, that we can bring the Imp to more people.”
Both 28-year-old Thomas and co-owner Marcus Askam-Yates, 34, are University of Lincoln graduate.
The pair have been working on the idea for around ten months with help from family and friends, and was an immediate hit on day one – with a queue of six people welcoming the two owners on the morning of its opening.
For more information, visit lincolnimporium.co.uk.
