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Retailer focus
Above: A colourful fixture provides a showcase for Kilner preserving and storage products. Right: Senior buyers, Linda Duggan (left) and Tom Grinnall and head of buying – home, Helen Keith with their Excellence in Housewares Awards trophy at the event (organised by PH in conjunction with the CHA) last October. Below: The National Trust (from Creative Tops) display at Redfields includes a mannequin to model an apron.
shoppers are looking for new and exciting products to buy on impulse as they browse the kitchenware area on route to the restaurant or plant areas.” However, the demographic is shifting to embrace a new generation of garden centre shoppers. Helen acknowledges: “We are attracting a younger customer in addition to our ‘typical’ shopper by making our centres a destination for mums by having safe enjoyable environments to bring their children.” She elaborates: “Most of our centres have a play area for kids located next to the restaurant and we sell children’s toys and games and books too.” In Helen’s opinion, Blue Diamond Group’s success in kitchenware comes from steering away from stocking many of the more recognised brands and sourcing products and ranges “that offer difference to mainstream supermarkets, department stores and garden centres.” Helen and senior buyers, Tom Grinnall and Linda Duggan are continually looking for new products and ranges - they are keen attendees at relevant trade shows and “encourage smaller suppliers to get in touch.” Helen observes: “Products for preparing food and entertaining do well, such as gadgets, tea and coffee items, oven to table, serve ware, tableware and glassware.”
Growing is a team effort On winning the Excellence in Non Specialist Retailing Award, Blue Diamond Group’s managing director, Alan Roper commented: “This is testimony to the hard work of all staff throughout our centres, and in no small part, the dedication of our buying team. We pride ourselves on innovation and bringing a real point of difference to each of our centres and our retailing strategy hinges on this – to be recognised in this category is a great honour.”
Besides the array of products stocked, Blue Diamond’s kitchenware departments stand apart from other retailers for their overall look, with an eye-catching and yet accessible layout, including lifestyle merchandising. Helen notes: “We aim to
display kitchenware in an aesthetically pleasing environment to ensure an enjoyable customer experience.” She highlights Blue Diamond’s use of bespoke shopfits to create a “soft tone and ambience.” Hence, fixtures and furnishing include: “beautiful French-style dressers and round tables to enable the product to stand out and be displayed to its maximum potential.” Most centres have their own visual merchandisers with the
aim of creating and maintaining attractive displays that are also easy to shop. Helen points out that: “Our flagship store, Redfields in Church Crookham, Fleet is a great example of this” (see imagery). With a coveted industry accolade demonstrating Blue Diamond’s success so far, the home team is by no means standing still this year. “The key challenge for the housewares category in 2016 is keeping it refreshed and exciting for our customers,” Helen emphasises. The team is “reviewing how we can improve the department within our centres, whether it be with range, merchandising, space productivity, shopfit or furniture”. Helen highlights that “a great example” of progress in the kitchenware department is devoting more space to “optimise its potential “ – this is happening in the forthcoming refit of “our fantastic Trentham Garden Centre in spring.” This goes to show that there is plenty more opportunity for housewares growth in Blue Diamond Group’s well-nurtured garden centre environment.
Progressive Housewares
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