Faking-It – formerly known as The Make-Up Box – in Middleton Grange Shopping Centre , Hartlepool , opened on Monday, August 19, 1999. Faking-It is a family-run business that started out as a market hall stall set up by Fiona Boston. Advertisement Advertisement Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Hartlepool Mail, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.
Now has its own shop unit on the first floor of Middleton Grange Shopping Centre. The shop sells a range of accessories, beauty products, fragrances and hair extensions, and is run by Fiona and her daughters Lucy Maven, 40, and Sophie Harcourt, 35. Fiona, 59, said: “It was a good job I opened the stall as it saved me a fortune on make-up, perfumes and hair accessories when Lucy and Sophie were growing up.
"I would be sorting out new stock and the girls would be picking out half of it for themselves.” Advertisement Advertisement Faking-It also has shops in Stockton-on-Tees and Darlington and has a Faking-It on tour portable truck. Speaking about Fiona’s first day in business, daughter Lucy Maven said: “As Fiona was setting up her small stock of make up, her first customers visited the stall and she ended up with £77 on that very first Monday.
"Fiona has laughed saying she didn’t even have bags to give to customers yet. "Word of mouth soon spread and Fiona actually sold more than half of her original stock by Tuesday and had to do an emergency stock run.” Advertisement Advertisement Lucy, social media manager for Faking-It, said: "Some items have never gone up in price.
Our eye pencils have always been £2.” She continued: “We have watched customers grow, from visiting the stall on a Saturday as teenagers to now bringing their teenagers to buy make-up and have a quick natter with my mam and sister. "A few years ago, we actually employed a Saturday girl who was the daughter of one of our earliest Saturday girls in 2000.
"We have also seen how fashion has changed from glitter body gels and frosted hair mascara of 1999 to the trends of today.” Faking It offers dancers and performers 10% discount throughout the year on all performance items, and is also offering 10% discount to all customers on Friday, August 16..
