Daughter’s TikTok turns father’s 34-year-old London shoe store viral

The Story in Brief

A shoe shop in Shoreditch, East London, that was weeks from shutting after 34 years has been saved by the owner's daughter. Zineb Lazraq, 25, used TikTok to show young customers the Y2K-style sandals her father Rachid had been selling for decades. The shop had struggled because of rising rents and gentrification, which drove away its older African customer base. A French TikToker's video calling the store a 'hidden gem' got more than 3 lakh views, sparking Zineb's own posts. Now customers queue for hours outside Rich Collection Italia. The owner had even put up a closing sign, which came down on June 10 after the surge in business.

Zineb, a journalist with video-editing experience, now works in the shop and is building an online brand, including a TikTok Shop. People's magazine quoted her saying the 59-year-old Rachid was ready to close, thinking 'the business had run its end.' Saturdays still draw big crowds. Zineb regrets not making the videos sooner, but says watching her father's struggling shop turn busy has been 'amazing.' She says the shop needs a new assistant to handle the demand.