P26 PAUL CLAPHAM:SGBGolf_NEW_template 24/04/2009 09:17 Page 26
Retailer Feature
Temple Sports
Paul Clapham meets a retailer in Keswick who is happily crossing the divide with
one sports store and one outdoor outlet. Step forward Malcolm Craghill…
L
ike many successful business people, Malcolm Craghill who runs
Temple Sports and Craghill Boot Store has a multi-dimensional
background. He is Keswick born and bred, his three shops are in
Keswick and Cockermouth and he originally worked in his father's
wholesale confectioners in Keswick. But this is no home boy. In his
teens he spent a year in America (when that was a rarity) and he has
managed a nightclub. Malcolm started in the sports business
because “my three interests were girls, drinking and sport and I
quickly realised I couldn’t make a living out of the first two.” He
bought a local fishing tackle shop which he turned into a sports
shop. He modestly admits that he got lucky with his timing – it was
1976 and the explosion of interest in sportswear as leisure clothing
was just under way. Trainers had become must-have fashion items
as much as sportswear. He has moved and expanded the business
regularly. In 1980 he bought the shop next door to grow the trading
space and in 2001 set up a completely new store. More growth saw
the business take over an outdoor shop in the town which had
closed down, because existing facilities just didn't offer enough
space for the local potential. Meanwhile Temple Sports was
expanding elsewhere, with a shop opened in Cockermouth in 1987
and a further one in Workington which they have since moved out
of. Craghill's is very much a family business. Malcolm’s son runs the
sports shop with Malcolm specialising in buying footwear and his
wife focusing on clothing. In Malcolm’s opinion, “men can’t buy Malcolm sees his core marketing activities in developing contacts with
clothing.” He stresses the importance of developing specialisation in local clubs and, as above with schools. The company sponsors and provides
buying as underlying their success. Thus equipment, outdoor, kit for a number of local sports clubs. As well as being enjoyable for a sports
footwear and clothing are each handled by one individual for the fan like Malcolm this is not a time-consuming or difficult part of running the
whole business. business. Four generations of the family have played for Keswick Rugby
Malcolm is an enthusiastic cheerleader for STAG membership. He Club and the whole family is involved locally with tennis, connections that
considers that “they are excellent at what they do”. The business gets good embed the business in the locality. The greatest strength of Craghill's
prices and paying one cheque for maybe thirty invoices makes life really business is the staff and the company is proud that they keep their people
simple. The shops have always had a strong link with local schools, for a long time: four of their staff have been with them for between 16 and
stocking uniforms and supplying sports equipment to over a hundred 20 years. This builds up both huge product and customer knowledge. Being
schools in Cumbria. The business focuses on the famous brands and all the able to help advise people, to show expertise, brings them back time and
major sports with the Keswick shop having moved into the fashion world again and it makes the job rewarding. Moreover customers value continuity
with brands such as Mark Acco and Skechers. As Malcolm says: “The sports and being able to deal with the same salesperson is important in most
business is about fashion and the distinctions between the two are sectors, but especially sports retailing where you are aiming for life-long
increasingly blurred.” customers.
The development of a stand-alone outdoor shop was a natural Malcolm also highlights the company’s flexible mindset. They have always
progression for the business. According to Malcolm, Keswick is “the been ready to move with new trends and rapidly buy into new product ideas
outdoor capital of England.” That’s no small boast but when you consider (plus, where necessary, move out of others).
that the town has a resident population of just 5,000 and manages to Given the opportunity, most retailers would be critical of the support they
support some 24 specialist outdoor shops (even the local Woolworth’s has get from brand owners, but Malcolm considers that the majority do a good
been converted into one), it looks justified. Other Lake District towns such as job. He does, however, say that the biggest brands such as Nike and adidas
Ambleside and Windermere have far fewer. Of course having the surname treat the independents poorly – essentially they don't want the
Craghill gives you an excellent brand name for an outdoor business in the independents’ business. Other brands fall down by focusing too heavily on
Lake District, but in fact it was suggested by a Regatta representative. the multiples, which, Malcolm believes, will prove to be a misjudgement:
Sometimes you can be too close to see opportunities! Interestingly, the two “They’ll come to realise that the multiples will dictate to them.” Quite right;
stores, despite being very close, don't feed off each other. They have even the biggest manufacturers go cap in hand to the major grocery
essentially separate customer bases, with buying for each done separately. retailers and there is no reason that sports retailing will not follow suit.
The only overlapping brand is HI TEC. Overall, Malcolm’s view is that “the smaller the company, the better they
26 SGB SPORTS APRIL 2009
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