In the age of the pop-up, pretty much anyone can have a go at running their own shop. For many the experience is a bit of a wake-up call; being a shop keeper is hard work. Creating a vision that will last the test of time and trends is a fine art, one perfected by the likes of Louise Power and Georgie Cook who run Hub in Hackney. Specialising in heritage lables and new, local designers, the shop is a treasure trove of timeless pieces, versatile enough to suit you or your mum and made so well that they'll last until your kids are asking to borrow them.

We chatted to Louise about Hub, it's new blog and the Hackney Independents project she and Kirsteen McNish are producing, profiling local talent, kitted out in Hub clothing.

KA: You stock your own label Beth Graham in Hub- have you always wanted to design your own products?

LP: Yes, I've done it for quite a long time actually- I first had a shop in Manchester about 14 years ago, I used to make lighting- it was more of an interiors shop. I've always had the urge to make. We buy in some great labels but nothing really replaces sourcing your own fabric, getting inspiration, thinking about what you want to create then seeing it manufactured and then selling it in the shop so we can actually see people's response to the final product. If you've got your own shop it's a great platform for things you make. Why I started to have shops in the first place was because I loved market stalls- even car boot sales- I think it it's really interesting to see what people do with a space.

KA: That's true- even with the rise of online shopping, if a retail space is done well, I will bother going to the store 'in real life'.

LP: People are going to buy online cos everyone's busy- but it's still really special to walk into a space that someone has independently created.

KA: And your label Beth Graham is all made locally isn't it?

LP: Yes it's all made in lovely Wood Green! All the fabrics are locally sourced and we've got graders and a little factory there- they do really short runs of things there, so you get a special, limited edition item at a good price, missing out the middle man.

KA: Your label is sort of the epitome of Hub style isn't it? A mix of traditional and modern?

LP: I suppose it is a mix- I've always loved vintage clothes but I also love a modern look too- it's a mix of old and new, masculine and feminine. I'm always really interested in the balance of things; going forward and keeping it fresh, but also harking back to the past. I want people to be able to put their own stamp on the clothes too- I really believe in individuality, in people expressing themselves. 

Beth Graham

KA: What other brands do you stock that you're excited about at the moment?

LP: Woodward is a great label, Won Hundred, Samsøe and Samsøe, lots of Scandinavian brands actually. There's a real mixture but with that strong Hub thread all the way through. 

KA: Why do you think Hackney is such a great place for Independent businesses?

LP: For something to work there needs to be a customer for it, there have to be people to appreciate it- and I think people who move here do appreciate that, they like that essence of independence, people doing their own thing. So when you're appreciated, you can thrive. If there wasn't an audience for independents they wouldn't be able to sustain themselves. And not all areas of London or the country will appreciate that. 

KA: Having run a little handmade collective myself I can definitely relate to that- there were places we'd go where people would appreciate that something costs more if it's handmade, whereas other places people would complain that they could get something similar much cheaper in Accessorize!

LP: Exactly; some people don't get it at all- you need the right audience. When I first opened a shop I could see what was going on on the high street- the sameness, the blandness... but now it's great to see this stuff working. It is hard work, it's a labour of love.

KA: It's great to see your blog evolving as well.

LP: Yes, we're doing a little project with Kirsteen, 'Hackney Independents' which is all about supporting other people who are doing amazing things- you meet so many people with great passions in Hackney, so it's nice to support each other. 

KA: I think its a big part of the new retail experience too- having an editorial side to the brand, to your identity. 

LP: This has always been a love of mine and finally working with Kirsteen- she's really good at this sort of thing, at getting it together and making it happen. It's all about our community, and the possibilities are pretty endless. 

Hackney Independents has recently featured the likes of journalist Laura Barton and film maker Mark Donne, singer Polly Wright and her husband, artist Stuart Pearson Wright and writer and film maker Michael Smith, who you can see reading a short sotry in the video below.

Hackney Independents from Lou Liddiard-Imeson on Vimeo.

KA:There's a real collaborative spirit in East London- and the internet is great for cross-promoting.

LP: Yes, it's a win-win situation. It's nice to communicate with your shoppers too- we got to the stage where we were shooting our clothes on models and we felt, 'there's more to us than this'. We need to expand a little bit. And Kirsteen has been amazing and made this happen.

KA: What would your perfect day in Hackney involve?

LP: I have a real love of markets- so I love, especially on an autumn day, to go down to Columbia road flower market. I love walking through the old bits of Hackney, it's like stepping back in time- so a really happy day for me would be going to a market in the morning, maybe the car boot sale on Princess May Road followed by a visit to The Rose and Crown in Stoke Newington for a pub lunch and a stroll around Clissold park.

Follow Hub's Hackney Independents series here.