A supply store for the creative arts has moved to a new location.

But the DNA Creative Shoppe, run by husband-and-wife team of artist Lexy Correia and graphic designer and digital artist Dion Correia, has only moved a few yards at 129 Front Street to a bigger site so they can offer a wider range of arts and crafts materials. Mr Correia said: “People were looking for more stuff and in the smaller area we were in, we couldn’t fit in everything people wanted.

“This larger space became available and we already had a vision of how we wanted the store to look and it was also an opportunity to expand without having to move very far.” Mr Correia added: “We’ve been able to build up on our canvasses — we’ve got a wider range in various sizes.

“We’ve got a lot more craft stuff as well, particularly for kids and more paint, with the Golden range being one of the most popular.”

The business was originally online in 2011, before moving to a warehouse space in Pembroke’s Elliot Street. About two years ago it moved to a retail unit at 129 Front Street, it has now moved into a much larger, neighbouring retail unit which was vacated by The Living Centre furniture store in January.

Ms Correia said the slow build-up was vital in planning a business that would work — and gauging what customers wanted to buy.

She explained: “It allowed us to start up and just do it. We also built our customer base and our inventory base.

“When we did move to the smaller site on Front Street, we were a lot more prepared and we had a lot more stuff.

“If we’d first opened up on Front Street, we would probably have struck out because we wouldn’t have had anything.”

Ms Correia added: “We now have a larger jewellery supply section and a lot more sewing supplies and fabric, which we didn’t have before. If it falls into the creative realm, we have it.” And she said the firm had also expanded its range of paper card, as well as a die-cutting service for custom paper orders.

Ms Correia added: “Business has started to pick up once we moved to the larger site — bigger is better and we have a larger window that people can see passing in the street. It’s definitely busier and carrying a larger stock helps as well.”

The DNA came about from the couple’s first names D for Dion and A for Alexis, Mr Correia’s full first name.

Ms Correia said: “It’s a bit of a play on words too — DNA is a part of creation and our initials.”

She added that the couple also intended to share their professional expertise by offering a variety of classes in mixed media arts and crafts.

Ms Correia said: “It definitely helps us both being practising artists ourselves — you can explain things to customers and tell them what they should and shouldn’t do.

“It’s definitely about taking each customer as they come in and helping them as best we can.”

The store’s Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/DNACreativeShoppe.

Opening hours are 11am to 7pm Monday to Saturday.