The Nerd Hut in Ipswich Sailmakers wins national award

The Nerd Hut, based in Sailmakers shopping centre in Ipswich, has won an award for best gaming and pop culture show in the Southern Enterprise Awards for 2023.

The shop, which specialises in selling a variety of memorabilia from TV shows and collectable items from games such as Warhammer and Dungeons & Dragons, beat many other stores from across the south of the country to win the award.

Bridie Burn, the owner of the shop, said: "It was amazing to win.

Bridie Burn outside her shop in Sailmakers (Image: Newsquest)

"We got the nomination when we were in our old store so we were clearly doing something right.

"Just to hear that we had received the nomination and then to hear that we had been picked as winners by the judging panel was breath-taking.

"For where we have come with the store, to be seen in that way, was incredible."

The Nerd Hut originally opened three years ago, starting as an online store during Covid, before opening a physical store in the nearby Microshops unit two years ago.

The shop in Sailmakers has been open since July (Image: Newsquest)

Due to the success of the business, The Nerd Hut moved to a bigger premises in July this year – opening in a unit on the first floor of Sailmakers Shopping Centre.

Miss Burn added: "The footfall is amazing here and the reception we have received from people has been amazing.

"The new people that have found us and the comments and compliments we have received is incredible."

Miss Burn revealed she is planning on opening a new board game library for people, starting a kids' club and having events running.

The award won by The Nerd Hut (Image: Tom Cann)

The Nerd Hut has also been nominated for another gong for the Suffolk Small Business Awards.

Miss Burn finished by saying: "Thank you to the customers and whoever nominated us.

"To think our customer base thinks this highly of us is amazing and we couldn't do it without them."