15 RETAILER OF THE MONTH Brand new pitch
GO Outdoors, the UK’s largest outdoor retailer, has launched its new flagship superstore at Town Centre Securities’ Urban Exchange retail scheme in Manchester
Outdoors. The first GO Outdoors opened in Coventry in 2004, and despite considerable challenges, soon became established as a benchmark for the future. Success in Coventry led to new
departments such as cycling, fishing, running, riding, and climbing, as well as innovations such as indoor tent displays and climbing walls. A series of store openings followed, bringing GO Outdoors to new areas of the UK. GO Outdoors has now been on this
adventure for more than 40 years, and many of the team are the very same people who led CCC to success back in the 1970s and 1980s. “We’re still based in Sheffield and we
The outdoor retailer announced last year that it had signed a lease for the 55,000- sq ft unit, located off Great Ancoates Street in Manchester’s Piccadilly area, to open its 28th UK store. The Manchester store is the latest addition to the company’s growing portfolio which saw it open nine stores in 2010, a year when it posted an 83 per cent year-on-year growth, taking sales to £75m. The store, which opened to the public on Friday 1 April, boasts an impressive floor-to-ceiling waterfall, a climbing wall and a permanent tent display in addition to showcasing the company’s 47,000 different outdoor activity products. And two more stores are due to open in April 2011 in Stoke-on-Trent and York. GO Outdoors is a small company that
set out on a big adventure more than 40 years ago. Sheffield’s ‘Camping & Caravanning Centre’ first opened its doors in 1969, and soon became known simply as ‘CCC’ to locals. CCC quickly earned a strong reputation for excellent customer service and became a landmark for Yorkshire’s outdoor community. With small premises, and big plans, CCC
originally focussed on manufacturing to fulfil a growing demand for quality trailer tents and camping furniture. Following a fire at the original Bramall Lane site, CCC moved to a bigger location on Hill Street where the company is still based today. As camping began to grow in popularity, the early 1980s saw a change of focus to retail. CCC became the first place in Sheffield to offer camping equipment alongside furniture, barbeques, gas and charcoal, laying the foundations of today’s comprehensive range.
The early 1990s saw an expansion of
the product range to include clothing and footwear with the introduction of market leading brands. John Graham, the Sheffield store
manager, led a buyout of the company in 1998 and became chief executive officer. Graham’s vision was to create a store to help as many people as possible to have fun and adventure in the outdoors - core principles that remain at the heart of the business.
Under its new ownership CCC quickly expanded to three stores and developed the concept which would soon become GO
haven’t forgotten our roots, but we do have big plans for the future,” says Graham. The launch of GO Outdoors continues the success story of Urban Exchange which comprises 120,000 sq ft of prime retail space, anchored by a 17,000-sq ft Aldi store. Landlord Town Centre Securities is currently in negotiations regarding the two remaining ground floor retail units and lower ground gym operation. Edward Ziff, chairman and chief
executive of Town Centre Securities, says; “To be welcoming yet another high profile retailer to Urban Exchange demonstrates the appeal of the scheme’s pivotal location, adaptability to suit a range of occupiers and plentiful parking. GO Outdoors has a large and diverse customer base and we are confident that the increased footfall their superstore will generate will attract additional tenants in due course.” And Graham concludes: “We are passionate about the outdoors and pride ourselves on being able to offer the right products for all types of outdoor enthusiasts – whether you’re a first time camper or an experienced explorer. The Manchester store is the start of our ambitious growth plans for 2011 and we see potential to have 50 stores across the UK by 2013.”
Find out more: For more information, please contact the author:
graham.parker@
jldmedia.com
www.shopping-centre.co.uk April 2011 SHOPPING CENTRE
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