Two businesses have merged into one new shop in Salisbury city centre.

My Comic Heroes, previously at My Comic Soda Bar on Blue Boar Row, and TownHouse Emporium, a new business, have both moved into the empty premises of 46 Catherine Street.

The site was occupied by Swedish Den until the café closed in September.

Read more: Salisbury bakery Swedish Den set to close due to Covid

The front of the shop houses TownHouse Emporium, which sells artisan goods, homewares and chalk paints.

At the back of the shop, My Comic Heroes sells comics and collectables.

The new location soft-launched about a month ago.

Jayne Paessler-Whatley, founder and owner of both businesses, said she started My Comic Heroes about a decade ago.

She worked for many years in retail in London - in department stores that included Selfridges - before starting the business while "trying to find something to do when the kids were small".

Her interest was always in vintage toys, but the interests of her youngest and middle children, Freddie and Henry Hashemi, inspired them to make a business out of Pokemon and comics.

Describing My Comic Heroes as a shop "for grown up children", Jayne said: "It is very much a family business.

"My boys have gone off and they're now doing their own things, but I still check in with Freddie to see what's current in the industry."

Henry now works in recruitment, and Freddie owns his own men's fashion business, Vestiti Vault, based at the back of My Comic Soda Bar.

Jayne is still unpacking in the new premises, and soon to paint over the old Swedish Den sign, which she describes as quite sad as "it was such a lovely business".

The shop is still a work in progress, with traders still visiting and local artists being sought: "I will keep it as local as possible," she said.

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