I’m 16-years-old and quit school with no GCSEs – now I’m one of Britain’s youngest ever shopkeepers

A teenager who dropped out of school with no GCSEs has become one of Britain’s youngest ever shopkeepers – aged just 16. 

Finley Hutchings, of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershires, now runs Hutchings Emporium after he started to sell things on Facebook Marketplace during Covid lockdown.

He explained that opening the shop meant leaving school with no GCSEs – but he has ‘no regrets’ about dropping out.

Finley said: ‘I can read, write and count money which is all I need really.

‘I knew that eventually I’d go back to what I was doing, working for myself. I’ve never looked back.’ 

The teenager at his store, Hutching’s Emporium in Tewksbury. He has thanked locals for their support

Finley says opening the shop meant leaving school with no GCSEs – but has ‘no regrets’ about dropping out

The teenager began selling ‘anything he could get his hands on’ on Facebook marketplace during the Covid lockdowns. 

When school returned to normal, he also returned, but continued to run his business after classes.

By that point, however, he had lost interest and decided to drop out.

He said: ‘I never really enjoyed school much anyway, my head just wasn’t in the game and I never had a drive to go into higher education.

‘And when I ended up having to go back to school I didn’t see much point in it anymore.

‘For a while I was still going to school and running the business after school in the evening, just making it work around school.

‘Then this year I just thought I’d go for it. The last few years it’s really come together and I knew what I wanted to do instead.’ 

He added that he has got all he needed from his education.

Finley learnt the art of shopkeeping from his father, Mark.

As a child, he often helped his dad with his own business and even assisted him with buying and selling at auctions.

Hs father was also fully supportive of Finley’s plan to leave school.

And – as Finley was too young to buy a lease in his own name – he also helped him set up the business.

Finley believes he can ‘read, write and count money’ which is all he ‘needs’ as a shopkeeper (pictured) 

His eclectic shop sells a range of products, from fishing gear to clothing and antiques and tools

Finley returned to school and continued to run his business after classes – but knowing how successful he could be as a shopkeeper, he decided to drop out 

Hutchings Emporium now sells a range of items from antiques, tools, clothes and fishing equipment. 

Mark said: ‘Some kids are naturally really into school, but Finley never has been. He’s always wanted to do his own thing so it was a no brainer really.

‘I’m very proud of him, it takes a lot of courage for someone of any age to take on and do something like this. 

‘He works seven days a week but he’s sticking to it and doing really well.’

Finley added: ‘We’ve been astronomically busy so far to be fair, it’s been nuts. 

‘I’d like to thank the local people of Tewkesbury who have been so supportive coming to visit and sharing posts.

‘I’m going to keep moving forward with the shop, push it and progress it. It’s doing really well so far and I’m excited to see how it goes.’