A creative corner in Albufeira

I met the owner, Dália, for the first time a few years ago, when she still had a shop in the old town of Albufeira.

As she explained, she has been in the business for 27 years. She opened her first shop after being made redundant from an international company where she used to work. With the compensation she received, she knew she wanted to start her own business. She started with a “Papelaria” selling stationary goods, newspapers, magazines and postcards. Since the very beginning, her shop carried a name “Inédita” which means something new and unseen.

Over time, she changed some of the items in the shop and added some souvenirs and small gifts. Dália was always drawn to unique and special items. She started importing products from different countries, which her customers loved. This was before social media, when the internet was in its infancy. Back then, people loved to buy unique things which they couldn’t buy anywhere else. Dália was also one of the first in Albufeira to offer a computer with internet access for her clients, where she was selling internet access by the minute.

Reinventing the business

Both her personal and professional life have had lots of ups and downs. Whenever her business was low, she tried to come up with new ideas on how to keep going. She created her own blog and later a website to sell gift items. But soon, she noticed items in her shop were not selling so well anymore, as people could buy almost everything online. That’s when she decided to start selling only handmade products. Products made by her and by a few other Portuguese artists.

A new chapter in the Marina

Her shop in the old town of Albufeira was owned by her parents, but due to family circumstances, she decided to sell it. True to her values, Dália has always put happiness before money, choosing peace of mind over profit when making big decisions. Then she spent the autumn and winter creating handmade items to sell in her new space. Looking for a new shop wasn’t easy. She was promised a shop, but the owners decided to sell it at the last minute. Eventually, she was fortunate enough to find her current shop in the Marina of Albufeira, where she has been for the past three years.

Dália is very talented and detail-oriented. If you are looking for a little decoration for your home or a unique souvenir from your holiday, Inédita is the perfect place to go. In the shop, you can find a lot of items which can be personalised with a special message. Dália always wraps each gift beautifully, adding an extra touch of charm to every purchase.

I have visited her shop several times myself and always found lovely little gifts for my friends and family. Last year, Dália decided to change the concept and started to focus more on workshops. Throughout the summer, she organized a summer camp, where children could stay from 9am till 1pm and create their own projects. Dália doesn’t like to force children into activities they are not interested in and that’s why each child can choose what they want to work on. She loves working with children and is grateful for this new experience full of surprises, laugher and unlimited creativity.

Parents started to ask her about kids’ parties, as children's birthday parties are very popular and parents appreciate it if children can spend their time creating something meaningful. So, Dália organises little workshops, mostly girls are interested in this type of celebration, and when the creations are ready, parents can join them with a birthday cake and have some fun all together. She is also receiving requests to attend bigger parties, which wouldn’t fit in the shop, but they would like to have Dália organise a workshop for the children.

New workshops and fresh ideas

For this autumn, new workshops are planned, and Dália also intends to attend various workshops herself to learn new techniques. She would like to bring fresh ideas to the Algarve but as she says, sometimes it’s not easy, as people tend to always look for familiar crafts such as macramé or ceramics. However, she still wants to encourage people to try new things.

Among the workshops you can attend, there is a natural cosmetic workshop, where you can learn how to make natural deodorant, repellent or facial or body moisturising cream. Other workshop examples include photography with a smartphone or natural distillation of medicinal plants.

Dália takes her time to choose the best professionals to lead the sessions organised in her shop. “More than just workshops—we offer unique experiences that inspire, challenge, and transform. Here, each session is a creative journey where you learn with your hands, your heart, and lots of fun.”

Dália herself teaches people how to make decorative boards with different signs to hang on walls, as well as fabric covers for notebooks. While the summer camp has now ended, during term time she runs “Oficinas divertidas”, 90 minutes dedicated to kids. “Children can play, create and explore through games, experiments and crafts full of colour and imagination.”

A place to create and be inspired

Ideal for families, groups of friends, couples, or even a solo creative getaway. Inedita is much more than a shop—it’s a place to create, learn, and be inspired.