Alright folks, that’s us nai — everything’s in, everything’s operational, and the Pops Ghosthouse is well and truly alive. I’ll be honest, I was dreading leaving the pop-up shop. Footfall was always a worry, and while Bangor doesn’t exactly have Oxford Street levels of traffic, it was still a physical shop; a place where people could wander in and have a nosy. But what had me buzzing was the chance to get back to working on big pieces again. The shop was brilliant, but it had its distractions, and now? No excuses. It’s all systems go.

The new studio’s always open for pre-booked guests and order pick-ups, so that side of things is sorted. But what I was most excited about was bringing a bit of the street art vibe indoors. I wanted a dedicated mural wall, but one I could work on canvas — no permissions needed, no weather tantrums, just pure creative flow. I rigged up a massive 2.1m x 2.1m canvas using two batons stretched right onto the wall, and honestly, it’s a game-changer. But one wall wasn’t enough, was it? Nah. The opposite wall, originally a display space, is now a 1.5m x 1.5m canvas wall too. So now I can have a big and a small piece going at once — double the chaos, double the fun.

Massive shoutout to Boom Studios. They offer an unreal service; fixed monthly price that covers rates, electricity, Wi-Fi, parking, and facilities. If you’re an artist looking for a space, I’d 100% recommend them. Plus, they get it. Paint on the walls? Mess everywhere? They’re not batting an eyelid. That’s the dream.

And let’s talk about the outside, because the Pops Ghosthouse needed a proper entrance. Fun fact: this building started life as a ‘spite house’ two builders had a fallout, and one of them built this weird rectangular store just to block a throughway. The building originally had a bright red door, and I was dead set on bringing that back. The big window came later when it became an office, and before it turned into an art studio, I believe it was a bookshop. It’s a quirky wee spot in a cracking part of Bangor. My goal? To add a bit of local charm, shine a light on the surrounding businesses, and give people a fun photo op. I could’ve gone full Ghostbusters madness, but since we’re in a semi-residential area, I kept it simple — the red door’s back, and there’s just enough of a nod to the Ghostbusters vibe.

And it’s been a hit. Since we finished up, loads of people have been sharing photos — kids rocking their little Ghostbusters outfits, parents bringing them down for a snap, the whole lot. Ghostbusters Northern Ireland even reached out for a photoshoot, and fair play to them, they will stick around for fans who want pics.

So yeah, overall, an absolute win. Community spirit’s buzzing, and the Ghosthouse is doing its thing. Now it’s time for me to lock myself in and start creating some proper paranormal artwork. Stay tuned, spooky season’s all year round in here. 👻

Pops