LEARNING CURVE
How Amy Pawley turned her small village store into a huge success 32
16-29 JULY 2019 betterRetailing.com
PROFILE
RETAILER PROFILE AMY PAWLEY CENTRAL STORES Location: Sherburn, North Yorkshire Shop size: 245sq ft Staff: Three part-time, two full-time
RGY ‘WE’VE CUT OUR ENE DGES’ BILL BY CHANGING FRI the store has build relationships do a paper with them. We don’t want peoround because we shop for DARYL WORTHINGTON the ple to come into their papers. Central about AMY Pawley, from North “We’re trying to think We want to Stores in Sherburn,worked the bigger picture. to actually Yorkshire, has only years, encourage people build a conin retail for three come in, to help us overcome but she’s quickly to nection with the community.” coma number of challenges To keep customers be as of her small meansites, to tries make a success Amy ing back, in the and caravanning village store. In their three years made ing it gets lots of holidaymakers competitive as possible with Julin the sumstock a lot She and business partner Amy and Julie have through its doors her pricing. “We background store, of that, it’s close to of price-marked products, so ie Luke both had a top On a number of changes. mer. “Retail’s range so it bene�its in the care industry. curve,” They now stock a wider know they’re gettwo steel works, and customers been a steep learning into it of locally produced products, from footfall from workers ting a fair price. came sandwiches but it’s admits Amy. “We including cakes, lorry drivers. “We lose a bit of pro�it, comproved peoexperience.” have that These people with minimum “Generally, we �ind worth it if it keeps the �irst and pastries. their customers. with Theft was one of go for the same things ing back,” she explains. to overcome. popular like to know where ple will tobacco they come into the problems they had “People “It’s the same with to RRP. has a big Amy each time stick reveals. to “Anything being stolen small in- their food has come from,” try Amy a driver – we always don’t mind shop,” competiimpact when you’re says. “A lot of them “Whether it’s a lorry We don’t have much a bit extra for something for the factory or an elderly per- tion around here, so perhaps dependent store. a chain, so paying a bit extra the village, they all “We’re not part of special.” we could risk putting the son living in something that’s someone stealing They’ve also boosted mak- have their own routines.” says. quite a lot is getting on,” Amy a customer came in that costs £5 is worth shop’s energy ef�iciency, For Amy, a priority to help “But if overcharged into the shop, to us,” Amy explains. a lot of ing it cheaper to run. and realised we’d energy-ef- customers come back. “But we’ve done By installing more them, they wouldn’t sure we can moving to a lot more in things to make �icient lightbulbs and they’ve A LOT OF CUSTOMERS We’d end up losing fridges, catch thieves. CCTV energy-savingsave a quarter on DON’T MIND PAYING the long run.” to “We’ve installed good on what to managed and trained our staff made the their energy bills. A BIT EXTRA FOR To see more photos has to do. That training has The small shop of Amy’s store, go to SOMETHING SPECIAL getting them needs of a wide mix the biggest difference, m/ meet do they can betterRetailing.co to understand what customers. central-stores-sherburn – like packing of the local to minimise theft As well as being Central We haven’t bags for customers. for nine shop for the village, to camping had anything stolen Stores is also close months now.”
16-29 JULY 2019 STRICTLY FOR TRADE USERS ONLY
Why should you care about illegal tobacco?
1 products is not selling, Know your
“If something an item you need to swap it for says that’s more popular,” Amy. “Speak to your customthey’re ers and find out what as looking for. Try to meet many needs as possible.”
2
Learn from your staff
we Amy explains: “When started, we had everything the best to learn. We found the way was to learn from staff who were already experiworking here. Their ence was valuable.”
atens cco thre ages Illegal toba ihoods, dam ’ livel retailers contains ities and commun edients. t Follow @suspect_repor ted ingr unregula
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“Our locally made products popular are some of the most holidaysellers, especially with more makers, who will pay for something that’s special. Customers from the village Amy. enjoy them, too,” says
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