The Tab meets: Selly Joke

The Tab got to meet the brains behind Selly Joke, Chris and Matt, set to take Selly by storm.

Hi guys, how would you describe Selly Joke in your own words?

Chris: Selly Joke is a fancy dress and party supplies shop set up by two UoB graduates of History and, Ancient History and Archaeology – which really set us up for life in the business world…

Matt: It’s basically a shop for students by students. We realised there wasn’t a place in the local area where we could get good fancy dress.

Chris: Its really great value and, well, everyone has a lovely time.

On a scale of one to rooster house, how happy are you with this prime spot?

Matt: We’ve lived all over Selly. I lived in Raddlebarn Road and, well, no one goes up there so we knew we had to be on Bristol Road. People use businesses round here as landmarks – everyone knows Rooster House and Drinks 2 Go. We want to become that kind of place.

Speaking of Drinks 2 Go, how does it feel to be next door to the legend himself?

Chris: Its awesome! It helps us and we like to think we help him. Students love three things: booze, nights out and fancy dress. And now we’re offering all 3, next door to each other at accessible student times and prices. And Chris (ed. – hard-core fans will know this to be ‘Drinks 2 Go’ man’s actual name) is an absolute legend.

I’m sure he loves you too! Do you have a favourite fancy dress theme yourself?

Chris: I love Halloween because any other time of the year you’d look mental. Last year at a party I saw a zombie Abraham Lincoln, it was really fun. Just put a load of scars on your face – which you can buy for £1 a pack right here at Selly Joke (to Matt – mate I’m brilliant at this!)

Matt: People put their reservations aside for one night because everyone else is doing it. I can spend 3 or 4 hours doing something.

That sounds like a lot of effort, so what did you go as last year then?

Matt: For Sports Night, I looked like I’d unzipped my face like what Holly Willoughby did but she copied me. And then the other one I had my face ripped apart wearing a medic uniform – it took about 2 hours because I was doing it to myself. In the future we’d like to run workshops. I learnt a lot off YouTube because it’s not particularly hard; it just takes a bit of practice.

Who did it best – our Matt or Willoubooby?

Chris: I found some skeleton pyjamas in my cupboard so wore them and froze my arse off. I had one beer dressed as a skeleton then drove home.

What is the most cliché fancy dress you’d tell people to avoid? – (Slutty cat people we’re looking at you)

Chris: We’d never tell anyone to avoid anything really because fancy dress is what makes you happy and being what you want to be. Just avoid being too plain, it’s always good to be a little different.

Matt: Though if lots of people were coming in buying the same costume for a themed night, we’d suggest alternatives.

Forget slutty cat, I’m going for slut.

At this early stage, do you already have a bestseller?

Chris: Probably the pint glasses. And people are buying them so much more than we thought – it was a genuine afterthought. People love them.

Matt: They’re the things everyone thinks they have but don’t, and you can never think where to buy them. I mean, we now sell umbrellas because nowhere in Selly sells umbrellas.

They’re No. 1

I’ll never get caught in the rain again! What are you looking forward to in the future?

Matt: Getting to meet all the new second years who have never came to Selly before and setting up pop up shops for the fresher’s. Decorating the shop for Halloween and Christmas will be fun too, maybe we’ll make a Santa’s grotto.

Chris: I’ll be Santa.

Sounds like you’re planning on taking over Selly!

Chris: We’ve got an in store gig with the Sons of Pitches very soon and planning on getting some local musicians and DJs in at some point in the future. Also, we’re thinking about running a comedy night next year because I used to do stand-up at Uni.

Matt: We want to put our stamp on Selly Oak and create something that outlasts us.

Chris: I genuinely want to be called the Selly Joke man with a Facebook page and everything.

http://sellyjoke.com/index.html

https://www.facebook.com/SellyJoke?fref=ts

Opening Hours: Mon – Sat: 12:00 – 20:00