(Image: Supplied)
A North East football shirt shop’s move to larger premises has sparked an expansion wave at a town's indoor market.
ABS Football Shirts, popular with Middlesbrough fans for its shirts and memorabilia, has moved from Dundas Indoor Market to a larger store on nearby Dundas Street.
It is the shop’s second move to larger premises in just over three years.
David Harris, market manager at Dundas Indoor Market, said: "It’s great to see Mark doing so well and staying within the Dundas family.
"At the same time, there’s a real positive energy about the place."
The move has freed up space for traders to take larger units and new businesses to open in the market.
The Hanger Shop, which sells handmade curtains and nets from Poland, moved into a bigger unit less than six months after opening.
Amita Karda opened Amita’s Celestial Beauty in 2023, and the business has since expanded to offer aesthetic treatments.
Hair expert Lola Ayeni joined Ms Karda after launching Dazzle Me in the market last year, following a master’s degree in design at Teesside University.
John Hare’s business, Millie's Memorials & Gifts, has rebranded as Millie’s Emporium and expanded, while Baby Beautiful has reopened ahead of Christmas.
The seasonal business has traded at Dundas for a decade, selling sought-after Reborn Baby Dolls and handmade accessories.
Mr Harris said: "Our traders provide products and services you can’t find anywhere else.
"You can come here if you’ve got a guitar to repair, you’re a collector of superhero comics, or even if you prefer buying your meat from a family butcher rather than a supermarket."
The market offers an all-inclusive package covering rent, rates and utilities.
Dundas Market, Dundas Shopping Centre and shops on nearby Wilson Street and Dundas Street share the same owners and are managed by Teesside commercial property specialists Portland Dodds Brown.
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Richard Wilson, a Portland Dodds Brown partner who helped arrange the move, called the shop a "Mecca for all Boro fans" and praised its contribution to the town centre.
Mr Wilson said: "This is exactly the type of entrepreneurial independent retailer we need to be supporting to help regenerate our town centres.
"Next time you’re in Middlesbrough, please make a point of calling in.
"It’s not just a shop, it’s a community."