Squirrel’s 15 crafty years on the corner

FOR 15 years, Morgan Wills has been living her crafty corner store life.

The maker and owner-operator of The Crafty Squirrel celebrated her business’ anniversary at the weekend.

Wills opened the Ballarat Central shop at Urquhart and Errard streets in 2011 and, pointing to a vintage nightlight shaped like a squirrel, explained the origins of the shop’s name.

“When I was trying to think of a name for the shop, I didn’t want to call it my own name,” she said.

“I thought, ‘What can I call it? I’m crafty. I like making things. I’m like a squirrel. I collect and gather.’ So, The Crafty Squirrel.”

Such qualities have been with Wills since a young age.

“From when I was a young child, as soon as I learned how to use scissors, I wanted to cut and make things,” she said.

“It’s my whole life. I’ve been making things. And then at school, all the art subjects… I just always have been a maker.”

Wills, her husband and two children moved from Melbourne 16 years ago after finding a store where she could sell her work.

“We’ve had ups and downs, and we’ve lived through COVID, and we have managed to keep going through everything. I feel really blessed and very supported by the community around me,” she said.

The business has since grown into running craft tours in Hobart, Japan and France, allowing Wills to travel throughout the year.

“The fact that I can incorporate travelling in my business model is really great,” she said.

The social aspect of her shop, which attracts both tourists as well as residents, is one of her highlights.

One customer brought Wills flowers for her business achievement.

“To me, that feels like that’s not a normal shop,” she said.

“People meet each other here, they catch up, they might see a friend they haven’t seen in forever who happens to be here at the same time. You know, it’s all of that.”

Wills said she was thankful to her customers and everyone who had supported her.