A business owner in the process of transforming an old office space into a brand-new showroom made a surprising discovery after cutting a hole in one of the walls. Hannah Benson has been self-employed since the age of 22. What started as an eBay business selling personalized gifts evolved into something much bigger: Beanstalk Merch, a U.K.-based printed merchandise studio specializing in helping brands create customizable merchandise.
"I work with local businesses on things like branded merchandise, e-commerce, social media, online workshops, and helping to streamline how they work," Benson told Newsweek. As part of that growth, Benson has been busy setting up a showroom at St Michael's Row Arcade in the heart of Chester, northwest England, where she lives and works. "Having spent so much of my career working in factory-style environments, particularly when producing personalized gifts on a large scale, I found that environment could sometimes feel very robotic," she said.
"The showroom is about bringing that human element back." The space itself has a unique history. It was built for the 2nd Duke of Westminster between 1909 and 1911, making it over a 100 years old. "When I was a teenager, I used to walk through the precinct on my lunch breaks from work and always admired how beautiful the building was," Benson said.
"I had no idea at the time that some of the windows were boarded up from the inside." After moving into the space in February, Benson has spent the past several months sprucing it up. As with any property boasting more than a century of history, she has encountered a few surprises along the way. Renovations can be stressful.
A 2025 survey of more than 1,000 U.S. homeowners found that more than 85 percent experienced stress during a home renovation project. This was different for Benson though. Growing up, she had dreamt of one day looking out of those windows.
Now, they were boarded up, and she was determined to restore them to their former glory. "When I first looked up at them, the detailing was so beautiful that I couldn't understand why anyone would want to cover them up," Benson said. During the renovation process, she and her team began removing the boards blocking the windows.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
