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etting up a new retail business is never easy - especially in a sector as competitive and personal as kitchens. But, for the Leamington Kitchen Company pair of Tom and Amanda Raine, the journey from corporate life to local business ownership has been a whirlwind
of learning, community engagement, and finding the confidence to stick to their principles. But first things first, how’s business? “It’s going really well actually,” says
Tom Raine. “November and December were quiet, but 2025 so far has been great with loads of enquiries and loads of new projects. So yeah, it’s been a really positive start to the year. I can’t quite believe it’s Spring already, that’s a little scary, but I suppose that’s a good sign we’ve been busy.” That’s all no small feat given the current economic climate. The wider market
may be uncertain, but this business is finding its feet and gaining momentum. “It was a slow start, but it feels like we’re getting traction now,” he explains. “We’ve had people coming from a little further afield too, places like Solihull and Leicestershire, which we didn’t really expect. We haven’t been targeting those areas, but the reach is growing.” Part of that reach is thanks to the building of reputation and word of mouth - two
areas that don’t come easy when you’re starting out, no matter how good your marketing is. “That’s the hardest bit,” he says. “Everyone says word of mouth is the most powerful marketing, but when you’re new, you don’t have that built up yet.” Amanda’s background is in marketing, clearly an advantage here, and Instagram
has proved to be the most powerful tool. “It’s funny,” Tom says. “I’ve never personally been a massive user of it but Amanda
loves it and there’s no question it’s been really helpful for us. People feel like they’ve come across you organically. We’ve had so many people come in saying they’ve seen us on Instagram. I’d say over half of our footfall comes from that.” It’s also about location. “We’re right by the parade in Leamington, which is a busy
spot. People walk past in the evenings and then pop in later. And we’re starting to see people coming in because their friend or relative used us. Someone’s Grandad came in this morning just because they’d heard of us.” >
We really try to play on the fact that we’re local, that we’re a family business.
And people do value that Tom Raine
" May 2025 kbbreview 55
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