RETAILER IN NUMBERS
BEST SELLERS
“Wheeled goods and nursery furniture are our bedrock, but we’ve seen a sharp rise in car seat sales, as we have an in-store fitter who receives regular training from the suppliers.”
123ABC IN NUMBERS
123ABC is a family run business stocking a comprehensive range of nursery goods from top names such as Venicci, Silver Cross, Bugaboo and Egg3. Having opened its first store in March 2012 in Cumnock, 123ABC opened its second store, in Ayr, two years later, and a third – its largest yet at 6,000 sq ft – in Irvine in 2024. Owner and md Andrew Hammond gives PPS the lowdown.
Above: Venicci was the first-ever brand to be taken on by 123ABC.
TRADE SECRETS
Above: Nursery furniture is a cornerstone of 123ABC’s business.
“Trade over the last year has been very positive. Opening our new f lagship store in April last year [trading under the name Ayrshire Baby Centre] has definitely elevated our business.”
LOCAL SUPPORT
“If you have the right products and can offer a great service and be price competitive, we’ve found customers are more than happy to stay local.”
ONLINE/ OFFLINE
BRAND NEWS
“We stock most brands – Venicci was our first, 13 years ago, and it is still a major part of our business. Our most recent addition is Bébécar, which we took on last year as we felt the brand had a product that was unique.”
BEING SOCIAL
“My wife Jennifer and daughter Rebecca look after our social media and they assure me that it has huge business advantages. It’s a young person’s game so I leave it to them!”
Above: Flagship store Ayrshire Baby Centre opened in April 2024.
“We’re a 100% instore retailer and we have no aspirations to move online. We do, however, have a website which we use to drive customers into our stores.”
TREND WATCH
“There’s been a shift in colour trends, with traditional blacks and greys making way for softer tones of cream, beige, mulberry and brown.”
IN BRIEF
Above: Silver Cross is among the leading brands stocked by the retailer.
• “ O ur last delivery was of 35 cartons of BabyStyle products.” • “ B etween our three stores, we have 12,000 sq ft of re t ail space.” • “ We refresh our window displays four times a year.”
Above: Customers are increasingly opting for softer shades of brown and beige, says Andrew.
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08/05/2025 09:06