26-27_Cardsharp.qxp_Layout 1 05/05/2025 12:59 Page 2
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Alas Smith and Jones Boomers might distantly recall a popular Western telly series of the 1970s, entitled Alias Smith and Jones, which was a kind of parody of the 1960s cinema blockbuster, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. It centred on two notorious, but lovable outlaw cousins, attempting to go straight and so take on new personas, adopting the names, Smith and Jones to replace their more memorable monikers of Hannibal Hayes and Kid Curry. Cardsharp was reminded on his erstwhile TV watching when considering the ‘wild west’ situation with one of our longstanding high street names. Gen Xers might recall comedians Griff Rhys Jones and the now deceased Mel Smith, who out-parodied the Alias Smith and Jones parody with their late Eighties comedy series, adroitly titled Alas Smith and Jones, arguably best remembered for Griff and Mel’s head-tohead comic dialogues. What has all this got to do with greeting cards you may well ask? Well Cardsharp was reminded of his past televisual viewing, with the news that the new owner of WHSmith retail, Modella Capital is re-naming the
26 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
chain, TJ Jones. This a decision made as a result of the brand name of WHSmith not being included in the purchase of the chain. TJ Jones does not seem the most original of monikers, but one presumably Modella thought was as near to WHSmith as possible with Smith and Jones still being the two most common surnames in the UK. But Cardsharp hopes it is not going to be a case of Alas Smith and Jones. As Cardsharp predicted a couple of months ago, it was always likely that the high street chain would fall into the hands of the likes of Modella, whose frequent playbook is to bring in restructuring
Above: Telly watchers in the early 70s lapped up the antics of Alias Smith and Jones. Below: Comedians Mel Smith (left) and Griff Rhys Jones created comedy gold in Alas Smith and Jones, parodying the cowboy duo TV series.
‘experts’ to examine company voluntary arrangements to quit underperforming stores and reduce rents on the other stores. It is seemingly doing this at the moment for two of its recent acquisitions, Hobbycraft and The Original Factory Shop. Modella describes itself as a ‘specialist retail and consumer investment boutique’, boasting ‘many decades of experience working in the retail sector, as entrepreneurs, owners, operators and investors’. Very grand words, but to Cardsharp’s mind it would be more appropriate to be describe Modella as a cost-cutting and restructuring retail predator. And given that WHS has already cut its high street operation to the bone, ‘restructuring’ will no doubt figure strongly in the business plan. And as landlords and suppliers of The Original Factory Shop and Hobbycraft are finding out, this generally means, they will take the financial pain of it. And it is revealing indeed, that WH Smith made it abundantly clear from the outset of the sales process, that the most valuable asset, ie the WH Smith brand, was a nonnegotiable ‘no, no’ for any potential buyer. Why so adamant? Especially as it would have surely meant it could have commanded a higher price for the chain. It does intend to continue to trade from its profitable travel and international sides using