A business owner has turned redundancy into a new beginning after opening a shop shaped by years of industry experience and a move for a better way of life.
Coastal Vapes has opened at 61 Mill Street, Bideford, offering vaping products, alternative nicotine options and trading card game collectibles.
Owner Darryl Hamlin, 42, said the idea came after he was made redundant from a role in e-liquid manufacturing, where he had worked for around ten years.
Darryl said: “Until June 2025, I’d spent around ten years working as an e-liquid manufacturing manager in Basingstoke.
“When the company went into administration and I was made redundant, I took on long-distance courier work for a while.
“Spending so many hours on the road gave me time to think about what I wanted my future to look like.
“I realised I wanted to get back into an industry I knew well and enjoyed — but to do it on my own terms.”
He moved to Bideford at the end of 2025 with his wife and their eight-year-old son in search of a change of pace.
Darryl said: “Spending more time here made us appreciate the community vibe and the beautiful surroundings.
“We wanted a better work-life balance, and Bideford offers exactly that — a slower pace, friendly people, and a lovely environment to build something meaningful.”
The shop held its grand opening on Friday, April 3.
Darryl said customer feedback so far had included support from the local community as well as other vape retailers.
The shop stocks starter kits, prefilled pod systems, advanced kits, nicotine pouches and tabs. It also offers Pokémon and other trading card game collectibles.
Darryl said: “There’s a strong collector community locally and we wanted to bring something fun and unique that adds a bit of variety.”
He added that one range he was particularly proud to stock was Wake ‘n’ Vape, an e-liquid line originally created and manufactured by him.
Darryl said: “The flavours are my own recipes, developed over years of experimentation and customer feedback.
“Although production has since been handed over to another trusted UK manufacturer, the flavours remain true to my original formulations.”
He said quality and safety were “non-negotiable”, with products stocked in line with UK regulations.
Darryl said Coastal Vapes aimed to focus on trust, quality and customer care, particularly for people trying to quit smoking.
The shop website is www.coastalvapes.co.uk.
