HAVE you ever broken a wing mirror and discovered you can’t buy the right replacement part? Or wished you could turn your favourite photograph into a miniature keepsake?
For Jersey entrepreneur Dani Schofield, those are exactly the types of challenges she hopes to solve through her business, Physibles, the Island’s new 3D-printing and hobby shop.
Based in Bath Street, the shop specialises in everything from bespoke printing parts and personalised models to airbrushes and miniature-hobby supplies.
Born and raised in Jersey, Dani has spent her entire life in the Island, and she fondly looks back on her childhood days, living next door to her grandparents, enjoying creative hobbies and exploring the beach. These interests, she says, have stayed with her throughout her career.
After spending nearly three decades in traditional printing, Dani developed her skills in design, production and customer management. These skills, she says, went on to prove invaluable when she decided to step into the world of 3D printing.
“My husband was into 3D printing when it first came out. I was working in 2D printing already and it felt like a natural progression,” Dani explains.
As the couple’s interest in the new technology grew, so did the idea of opening a business. Dani believed there was a clear gap in Jersey’s market for a dedicated 3D printing and hobby shop.
Dani had always dreamed of opening a business, but the pandemic and other setbacks meant the thought never came to fruition. However, earlier last autumn, the plan was revisited.
“We had spoken about this for quite a while,” she said. “Then the stars aligned, so to speak, and we decided to go for it. I’m really glad we did.”
The business officially opened its doors in April 2026, after months spent researching suppliers, finding suitable premises and deciding what products they wanted to stock.
“We were let down by our other location quite late on, and I happened to walk past [the Bath Street location] the next day, and there was a sign on the window,” she recalls.
“The Bath Street complex was fate. I called the landlord and we looked at it the next day. The rest is history.”
Initially, Dani had planned to focus solely on 3D printing, but after carrying out further research, she quickly realised a wider hobby offering would make the business more sustainable and attract a more diverse set of customers.
“We were going to do just 3D printing at first, but we knew it wasn’t going to be sustainable, so we went down the paint and hobby line too,” she said.
“We’re building the business as we go, by talking to customers and getting their input too.”
Although, as most business-owners know, launching something new comes with its challenges. Dani says that her most strenuous moments have been on the logistics side.
“Getting things over to Jersey was very hard,” she explained. “We had a lot of interest in things, like aerosol cannisters, that can’t get over on the plane, so we brainstormed and managed to get them over on the boat.”
However, she says that as she was surrounded by a huge support network of her family and friends, every effort was worth it.
“Our friends came in and helped paint the shop before we opened. It really has been a joint effort,” she explained.
“A few customers have said if we ever need any help with painting to give them a shout, which is so nice,” she said.
“One customer even brought us brownies. The support from the community has been brilliant.”
Despite having only been open for a few months now, Physibles has, Dani says, already started to attract a loyal customer base, from “hobbyists” to people who are just interested in the process of 3D printing.
Reflecting on the journey so far, Dani says one the most rewarding parts of opening a small business is seeing the genuine community starting to form around the shop.
“It already feels as though there is a little community building here,” she says with a smile.
“I’ve got someone who pops in every Saturday. There are so many different people doing different things and it’s really interesting.
“I love meeting new people. I really enjoy it.”
The variety of different projects customers bring to her door continues to surprise her each day.
From replacement parts for vehicles and camera components to personalised trophies or figurines created from family photographs, she says that every project is unique.
“Customers come in with their own files ready to print, or they even come in with an idea, and I work with them from scratch,” she said.
“We always say we’ll try to bring it to life if we can.”
When visiting the shop, a working 3D printer is permanently on display, allowing customers to watch the process from start to finish, and see the level of detail resin printing can achieve.
“There was nothing like this in Jersey before. No one really had a physical shop,” Dani said.
Even the type of printer in the shop has a certain uniqueness.
“It’s the reverse to other printers. The FDM (fused deposition modelling) printers normally print from the bottom and up, but ours print from the top and down.”
As a first-time business owner who has “taken the plunge” into the entrepreneurial world, Dani admits there were moments when she questioned whether she was following the right idea.
“Everybody has doubts. It’s part of human nature. You want it to work as it’s your own business,” she reflects.
“But you just have to jump in and make it work.”
The one thing that she never imagined was discovering more about herself.
“I’m more resilient than I thought. I know I can do it. Don’t ever doubt yourself because you can do it if you put your mind to it,” she said, offering encouragement to other budding entrepreneurs.
Looking ahead, Dani is hoping to continue expanding both the customer base and the business, with ambitions to acquire new specialised equipment, and, eventually, broaden the services Physibles can offer.
“We have a few ideas in the pipeline to look into going forward,” she said. “It’s still very early days, but we just want to keep growing, keep listening to our customers and let more people know we’re here.”
At the heart of Physibles, however, is a simple message that Dani hopes every customer takes away:
“3D is as far as your imagination can take you.”
