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Monday February 5 2018 THE NATIONAL MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM, BIRMINGHAM
NICK GREENOwner of Brown’s Home Hardware at Pershore in Worcestershire On the floor
We dabble with kitchenware as there is a cookshop opposite our shop! Our gardening product range has greatly expanded with glazed and terracotta pots, ornaments, furniture and a plethora of plants, shrubs and vegetables that are locally sourced.
How do you find new products? Personally, I like to make the effort to attend all major trade shows. Luckily, we’re well sited geographically. As a member of Home Hardware’s promotions committee, it’s good for me to have established product knowledge and to keep abreast of new products and trends affecting the market. Spending a lot of time on the shop floor keeps me in touch with customers’ needs and wants.
What’s your background? I originate from St Ives in Cornwall and my father was a shoe shop retailer. I’m a father of two grown-up sons and planning to get remarried. My background is with [fishing equipment supplier] Shakespeare Fishing Tackle. Formerly a designated retailer, I also used to organise and run trade stands at major fishing tackle shows and competitions, selling direct to the public. I’ve worked at this store ‘man and boy’
[originally starting as a Saturday boy in 1974]. I was made partner in 1986 following the demise of Mr Brown, and purchased the business 10 years ago. I joined Home Hardware in 2005 and became a corporate member in 2016.
Tell us a bit about Brown’s Home Hardware. Bought by WL Brown in 1913, we are the oldest business in Pershore - and we’re still within the original premises. Following a huge modernisation and expansion, we now also incorporate ‘The Secret Garden Centre’ at the rear of the shop. Situated within a stunning Georgian walled space, this area gives our customers an enhanced shopping experience. We pride ourselves on excellent service, with a team of five full-time and three part-time staff.
How would you describe your product mix? We stock 10,000 SKUs ranging from DIY, general hardware goods, household and tools.
What lines have you started stocking recently? Beautiful crafted bird baths and statues from Enigma Home and Garden, produced at St. Just in Penzance.
Which products do you use personally? If I can complete a job with the right power tool - that is heaven. My favourite is probably my Dewalt reciprocating saw. This has been a godsend with all the mature shrubs and trees in my garden.
What products are selling well? A big favourite at the moment is Command Hooks, with customers hanging their pictures from Christmas. Rodent products are particularly popular at this time of the year. Of course, we’re now warming up for the ‘spring clean’ demand.
What’s on your counter? We’re advised to rotate products on our counter by Home Hardware’s corporate manager. Probably the best-selling products are traditional wooden nail brushes produced by Elliott. Batteries and torches are always good pick-up lines.
What’s an average day? I like to come in an hour before the shop opens at 9am. This gives me time to have a cuppa and get a number of tasks done that never seem to get done while the shop is open. Products are then arranged outside: seasonal plants on Dutch trollies.
I set staff tasks and it’s not unusual to see a number of sales reps during the day. I also organise deliveries for the afternoon. Watering
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housewareslive.net •
HousewaresLive.net
• Brown’s Home Hardware is the winner of Home Hardware’s Retailer of the Year award.
•
twitter.com/Housewaresnews January/February 2018
the plants is thankfully now undertaken with our new automatic irrigation system – hurrah. There is always a jolly atmosphere at the
shop. I think it’s important for the staff to have fun and a bit of a laugh while getting on with the job in hand.
Biggest issues facing independent retailers? Parking costs and restrictions will always be a bane. The draw of the internet is, and always will be, an issue. Customers seek knowledge, and then buy elsewhere. We’re very lucky to have a strong high street
presence. Unusually, 94% of the retail businesses in Pershore are independent. We successfully fought Aldi off a proposed planning application for an out-of-town development. It wasn’t Aldi that we had an issue with, but out-of-town developments killing our towns.
Best and worst aspects of the job? At this time of the year, I make a New Year’s resolution to work less hours. This recurring resolution has been ongoing for at least five years - we’ll see what 2018 brings! As for the best, well… no one day is ever the
same. I still get a kick out of selling and being the solution provider.
What do you do outside work? I’m a canoe and kayak instructor for Wychavon Canoe and Kayak Club. With the River Avon at the bottom of our garden, it was a natural draw. I also like to fish when I get time. Each holiday I take is an adventure, rather than beaches and cocktails at sunset.
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