An ambitious young Southport business owner who walked into an “unrepairable” property a year ago today is celebrating the first year anniversary of his thriving venture – as he revealed new plans for 2023.
Owen Simmons, aged 28, owns Oath Lounge, right in the heart of Southport town centre.
A relaxation and innovation centre and part of the Southport nightlife scene, it’s a grown-up venue which aims to offer something different within a flexible space for the community.
Owen said: “One year ago, on the 13th December 2021, I walked into 211-213 Lord Street, a property with no running water or electricity, and with only £500 in my pocket.
“I’d just signed a 5 year lease on a property that was described to me as “unrepairable” by the estate agent.
“And now 12 months later, and nowhere near perfect, but still more impressive than nothing, Oath Lounge stands in the heart of the nightlife of Southport.
“Thank you to all the people who have supported this journey so far, and to those who haven’t, I’m sure you’ll jump on the bandwagon soon.
“I always promised myself that I wouldn’t let people’s support go unnoticed and I plan to always hold myself to that.
“It’s been quite a journey so far!
“I’m a local business person trying to provide a good offering in the nightlife sector.
“I am planning on closing for two weeks in January to carry out some further renovations.
“We have already started work on creating a new kitchen area, to allow Oath lounge to become more of a cafe area.
“Watch this space for what we’ll offer through the menu! We want to offer our customers really good quality meals.
“We are enjoying the run-up to Christmas. At the moment we are open from 6pm each night, and are getting a lot busier now! Last weekend was really good, and we are looking forward to that continuing.”
Owen launched his Oath Lounge venture after he launched Oath Clothing as an online business three years ago.
He was initially looking to buy an office for his fledgling company but when he heard the costs involved, he decided that a little extra outlay would secure him a prime spot right in the centre of the Lord Street shopping boulevard – and put his firm directly in the spotlight.
Committed to quality and sustainability, Oath clothing is designed with customers in mind.
Owen’s team of designers come from a range of backgrounds creating a wide array of clothing to suit every demographic.
All the money raised from clothing is invested back into the business and a percentage of the proceeds is invested into tackling online bullying and harassment.
Owen is hugely ambitious and hopes his venture will develop to become a chain.
He studied at Formby High School, before completing a Business Finance Access Course at Southport College; then Economics at Manchester Metropolitan University; and then achieved a Post Graduate Degree in Business Management while working part-time at EE on Chapel Street in Southport.
He then decided the time was right to strike out on his own and form his own company, which is growing in success.
Follow them on Instagram at @oath_capital
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