Search for
Search for
Search forMark's tied up in new business venture
Wednesday, December 03, 2008, 13:05
An artistic business duo are selling distinctive wooden ties at this year's Christmas Market.
Mark Playne hit on the idea of novelty ties when he made one out of slate 15 years ago.
Earlier this year he teamed up with business partner Lyndsey Doel to launch the Wooden Tie Company to target businessmen and women looking to stand out from the crowd.
The business began in Stroud but its founders moved to Bath earlier this year and are now looking for a workshop space in the city to develop its products.
The ties are made from a variety of wood in patterns and each one is elasticated to stretch and fit its owner.
The products were originally sold all year round but it soon became clear that popularity was increasing in the period leading up to Christmas.
Mr Playne and his partner then decided to focus their attentions on Christmas markets around the country.
He said: "The idea for the wooden tie was a joke to begin with and people absolutely loved them.
"When we first started doing them we traded from lots of different places but they make great Christmas presents so we concentrated our efforts on Christmas markets."
He added: "The great fun part is going out and seeing new customers and laughing all day long.
"This business is about putting smiles on people's faces.
"Bath has the right kind of people for our products. We do well in Cambridge and Oxford and towns where there is a tie- wearing tradition and people have a lot of black-tie parties.
"There are two types of tie-wearing customers for us. There are those who have 100 ties and want something different and then there are the people who don't like to wear a tie but have to for their events and want to have the last laugh."
Comment on this story