A UNIVERSITY student has dived firmly into the business world while juggling his degree and set up his own shop in Bournemouth town centre.
Matt Simms, 23, has opened Resneaked in the ‘Bond Street of Bournemouth’.
The marketing student is spending his placement year gaining more than just tea-making experience in an office and has pumped his own money into the Westover Road venture.
Matt, who studies at Bournemouth University, said: “When I was around 15 or 16, I started selling clothes while studying in college as a part-time hobby with my friends.
“That then transitioned to my love of shoes and I realised I could pay for my own shoes if I took the profit from selling to other people.
“I kept reinvesting in this and built the business up, got it onto Instagram and its own website until I decided to get my own retail space.
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“Ultimately, people like to see products in their hand and pick them up, try them on before spending money.
“I saved all my money and kept putting everything back into the business and eventually started this.”
Matt scouted for the best location in Bournemouth town centre before settling in Westover Road where “the rent was much cheaper than more in the centre”.
The young entrepreneur said: “There are a lot of tourists and people passing down this road going to the beach or the gardens so it’s a good location.
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“This is the perfect size for the shop but also any further into town and the rent just quadruples – it's crazy.”
He added he has aspirations to expand his business further by opening a shop in his hometown of Guildford – but said he won’t be dropping out of uni if his business does very well “as there’s not much point now”.
Resneaked sells a range of high-end trainers and shoes, including Nike Jordans, Adidas and Yeezys and also features some streetwear, too.
It sells shoes for people of all ages and sizes and is open seven days a week from 10am.
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