Teen launches six figure business from his gran’s spare bedroom

Lockdown sparked a brilliant idea for Evan Sellick – but first he needed his gran, Rosalyn Mackertich’s help. Just 16 at the time, he commandeered 75-year-old Rosalyn’s spare bedroom, where he stored second hand clothes he bought online, before selling them at a profit. When he bought a pair of Ralph Lauren joggers for a tenner and sold them for £30, he knew he was onto a winner. “Second hand clothing has been around for a long time but only recently it’s become more fashionable and I think it’s something that will continue to grow,” he says. Soon, Clothing View was born and his gran’s spare room was too small for his ambitious plans. Instead, Evan, now 19, who specialises in vintage streetwear, bought his first warehouse in his hometown Cwmbran, Torfaen. And he now manages an even bigger warehouse in nearby Newport – home to between 1,500 and 2000 items he’s sourced online. Boasting a high turnover and a big social media presence, Evan’s business has been valued at £100,000. “In the last year, I’ve doubled or even tripled my stock count,” he says. “Money and the economic state of the world are two massive reasons why people are shopping second hand. “But if something also has a positive impact on the environment, it’s naturally going to do well.” Evan says he has always had an entrepreneurial mindset, thanks to his granddad who also had a “hustle mentality”. He first got the idea to start selling second hand clothing when he came across a YouTube video from a couple making a living from car-boot sales. “I had £10 at the time so bought a pair of Ralph Lauren joggers second hand and sold them for £30,” he says. He was soon raking in more money when he began finding suppliers to sell him designer items for as little as £90, going on to sell them for double. He adds: “From there, I did pop-up shops around the UK and visited universities where those fashion items were popular. “I bought my first warehouse in 2022 and within five months, I needed somewhere bigger. Social media is a huge part in growing the brand, and I learned how to promote it on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram.” Now, the teen is growing his team and looking to employ people to help him manage his huge workload. “I had no plan,” he admits. “I just loved fashion and clothes and it was something that appealed to me so I gave it a go and it worked out for the best. “I managed all aspects of it alone from customer service to social media to actually packaging up the products. We’re now turning around six figures each year and it’s growing by the day.”