Talent’s accompanying hard work: the making of small store? (4,4)
I believe the answer is:
gift shop
'small store?' is the definition.
(eg a small shop attached to a museum)
'talent's accompanying hard work' is the wordplay.
'talent's' becomes 'gifts' ('gift' can be a synonym of 'talent').
'accompanying' says to put letters next to each other.
'hard' becomes 'h' (abbreviation used in pencil classifications).
'work' becomes 'op' (abbreviation for opus).
'gifts'+'h'+'op'='GIFT-SHOP'
'the making of' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for gift shop that I've seen before include "Present store?" , "Where to buy presents" , "Store through which you are forced to pass on the way out?" , "part of most museums?" , "Where to buy souvenirs" .)