As the nation’s shopping habits and tastes change, our town centres are rapidly changing too. Familiar brand names are contracting or disappearing altogether. But numerous independent retailers are taking advantage of the opportunities that are being created.
July is Independent Retail Month when the retail industry celebrates independent retailers. For many years Swindon’s Brunel Centre has welcomed, encouraged and nurture small businesses. And it’s a policy that is paying off with around 30% of the centre’s tenants now independent. In the case of independent traders, 70p of every £1 spent with a local trader goes back into the local economy, compared to 5p in every £1 for national retailers.
By their very nature independent retailers can come and go. These businesses are run by people – not companies. They are often individuals or groups of family members or friends. They are learning on the job, and trying to master skills that they hadn’t even realised they would need. And sometimes they will get things wrong. But for independent retailers to thrive they need our understanding. And they certainly need our support.
Here’s a spotlight on just three at The Brunel. They are all very different to each other – but the one thing that unites them is the depth of knowledge and excitement they have about their products and their desire to give their customers what they want.
Something Different Gift Shop
The energy and enthusiasm that father and sons team Ian, Ross and Lee Mulholland bring to their gift shop is infectious. Having recently relocated to premises in a prime area of the centre they are rushed off their feet – so much so that they are now taking on their first non-family employee.
Something Different started out in 2015 in the tented market and progressed to a unit at The Brunel, at first shared with another retailer and then taking over all the space on their own. In May they took the plunge and relocated to their current shop, taking the opportunity to invest is top quality signage, décor and shop fittings.
“Everyone loves the new look” says Swindon-born Ross “it’s one of the best things we have done. Getting the right look and feel to your shop is important, as is displaying your products well. We are now creating a brand and we want to ensure we always maintain that.”
Ross believes that retailers need to develop a wide range of skills to be successful. “You have so much to learn when you run a business and have to get involved in everything. Having three of us helps though, we are all very different so can play to our individual strengths.”
And different they are too. The unlikely trio of three men running a predominately female-focused gift shop is unusual. But judging by the compliments and thank yous they are getting they clearly know what their customers want.
Ross says that building good relationships with suppliers is also extremely important to them. “We work hard to find suppliers who are producing unique and quality products and especially those that are made or designed in the UK. We want to work with producers who treat their staff well and are as passionate about their products as we are.”
Something Different currently stock jewellery from well-known Welsh designer Carrie Elspeth and unusual hand-crafted silver jewellery that encapsulates tiny real flowers in resin from Somerset’s Shrieking Violet. There is an extensive range of American double-wicked Goose Creek candles and wax melts plus reed diffusers from Ashleigh & Burwood. Bournemouth-produced Bomb Cosmetics are eye-catching and popular and Wild Thing crystals and glass sun catchers provide a stunning display that is helping to draw customers in.”
Something Different
2C Brunel Plaza
Tel: 07853 333797
Open Sundays
www.facebook.com/Somethingdifferentgiftshop
Delikatesy Smaczek
For six years Delikatesy Smaczk have been providing tastes of home for Swindon’s large polish community and the tastes of Poland to those who have discovered this gem. The small and extremely well-stocked shop sells fresh meats, cheeses, dairy products and cakes that are a feast for the eyes as well as the belly – all brought in from Poland several times a week. The shop is packed to the rafters with polish groceries, and toiletries too.
But things are about to change. And for the better. Manager Marta Dominiak explains. “We are too cramped here now – this shop is so popular we have decided to open a new, much larger shop”. From September Delikatesy Smaczek will be at the bottom of The Crossing’s escalator, opposite Lush. “We are very excited” said Marta. “We have just got the keys and the shop fitting has started. It’s going to be great. We employ ten people in this shop but will be taking on another five people for the bigger store”.
The business is owned by Tadesz Buzala who explained why he is confident the new shop will do well, even with the spectres of Brexit and Honda’s withdrawal from Swindon on the horizon. Tadesz said “Yes, things like Brexit, exchange rates and Honda’s situation inevitably make it harder for us. But with businesses there are always challenges. But bigger store - bigger opportunity. The current store is successful so a larger store should bring in even more business. We sell really good products that people, Polish or otherwise, will go out of their way to buy. Polish people are very discerning with their food so Polish products taste and look good and people can’t get enough of them. Our enlarged store will enable us to reach many more customers and bring the tastes of Poland to more people.”
Tadesz believes that good marketing is vital for all businesses. “We have a good website plus a strong presence on social media. We use these to make sure that people know who we are, what we are about and what we sell. Promotions are important, everyone loves a bargain. It’s our job to encourage people to come to us. Once they step inside they inevitably find many other things they didn’t know they needed.”
Delikatesy Smaczek
Havelock Square currently, Canal Walk from September 2019
Tel: 01793 4338828
Open Sundays
Print & Frame and Mekaal Boutique
On the top floor of The Brunel Plaza, next to clothing store The Forum, are two businesses that demonstrate the myriad of challenges that small businesses face.
Print & Frame is run by Chris Barrett-Smith and wife Nichola. They print your photos onto almost anything. From large wall canvass to cushions, mugs and jigsaws the list goes on. But what’s so good about their service is that they can produce it so quickly “We can turn many things around in the hour” says Chris. “Yes, people could use the internet for much of these items these days – but with the internet you have to wait for it to be delivered. Our service is great when you need something quickly. People also like to see the quality of what they are getting.”
But Chris and Nichola have a dilemma. They are taking a holiday for two weeks in July. We wouldn’t usually go away and shut up shop, but it’s a one off – it’s our honeymoon. We’re going to put our wedding picture up in the shop window to tell people why we are away – we think most people will understand. We have to have a normal life too.
And this is where Mekaal Boutique comes in. Run by Rubina Ghulam, Mekaal Boutique will be sharing the shop space with Chris and Nicola. “Rubina will be here with her business so she can explain the situation to our customers and take their details for us to follow up when we’re back. Independent retailers need to work together. We’re all in the same boat and we can help each other.”
But Chris has another, very common, problem. Marketing. Chris produces stunning custom laser etched 2D and 3D crystal photos and images. From pictures of scans of a baby in the womb, to exquisitely detailed Vulcan bombers, the subjects are vast. “We are working on how to market these. We’re not sure what to call them, or how to include the product range into our current shop name. Print & Frame doesn’t really do it. “When you describe them to people they don’t sound much – but when people see them they tell me they are stunning. A customer had a photo of their elderly dog etched for his wife and it reduced her to tears when she saw it.”
The team at The Brunel Centre help out tenants such as Chris as much as they can, sharing their retail and marketing expertise and knowledge. Lewis Fagence is the centre’s Relationship Manager and regularly meets with independent tenants. “It’s good to have someone to bounce ideas off of because you can’t be good at everything and being able to tap into specialist expertise is invaluable” said Chris.
Print & Frame and Mekaal Boutique
Brunel Plaza
Tel: 0786 0865166
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