32-33_UOE.qxp_Grid 09/03/2026 16:17 Page 1
RETAILER IN FOCUS
STAMP OF APPROVAL
Inset: Elliot Jacobs, ceo of UOE Stores in his first Stamp branded store, in Barnet, north London.
Welcoming shoppers in the inaugural Stamp shop, which opened in Barnet High Street in North London last month, is a pink neon sign declaring ‘For life’s moments’, positioned above an enticing greeting card display. Someone who is most definitely relishing his ‘life moments’ right now is Elliot Jacobs, ceo of UEO Stores, who is on a mission to build the retail business he has owned since 1998 to become “the number one national stationery retailer in the UK.” Having secured backing from private equity business, Next Wave Partners, Elliot has wasted no time in putting this investment to good use. Seeing no point in doing things by halves, Elliot’s first coup in the scaling up of his previous nine store group was to clinch a deal to take on 30 formerly Crown-owned Post Offices. 32 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
This heady feat has involved a new structure being put in place, and seen the team’s head count soar from 58 to just shy of 300. “Our first appointment was for a chief people officer!” laughs Elliot. Among the other notable appointments have included Emma Wallington joining as head of buying, bringing with her experience gained at M&S, Muji and Debenhams and Joshua Astor, taking in the role of head of retail, whose 25 years retail experience has included working for Apple, Starbucks as well as the US pop-up card sensation, LovePop. Right: The plan is to expand the Stamp brand to some of UOE’s other stores as well as take on new ones, not necessarily with a Post Office as part of it.
While footfall is a major worry for the majority of high street retailers, it does not really feature high up on Elliot Jacobs’ busy agenda. In the last year alone, he has tripled the size of the UOE estate, which he heads up, to 41 stores, with the inclusion of a Post Office within them and the wider services those provide, meaning they are now collectively serving nine million customers. With the recent christening of its Stamp retail concept, PG rushed to keep pace with the company’s next frenetic expansion phase, which aims to take it to over 100 stores in the next couple of years, each injecting life into the high street. “I love it, we have loads of great people in the team, all invested in what we are trying to create, albeit at a fast pace. It’s very exciting,” enthuses Elliot. “It was back in 2019 that I sold the B2B side of the business to focus on building the retail aspect. It’s now 2026 and it’s finally happening!” The unveiling of the Stamp rebrand is extra endorsement of the progressive direction of travel for this ambitious retailer, with greeting cards very much part of the journey. “While I love the heritage of UOE, it was part of my childhood after all, we needed a fresh brand that would match the new retail experience we are looking to create,” says Elliot, who as a schoolboy worked at the original Universal Office Equipment shop in