October/November 2025 housewareslive.net


very refined,” says Mr Coles-Evans, “an invitation-only experience for the bigwigs of the day. Now, thankfully, everyone can enjoy the space.” For decades the first floor also housed a small café, but last year the decision was made to close it and reclaim the full building for retail. “It allowed us to expand our ranges properly,” he explains. “We’d outgrown the space, and this gave us a chance to curate more of what our customers were actually asking for – cookware, textiles, home fragrance. It’s transformed the flow of the shop.”


The sense of heritage is everywhere. Step inside and you’ll find polished wood counters, gleaming displays of De Buyer pans and Mason Cash bowls, shelves of Maison Berger lamps shimmering beneath original plaster mouldings. Yet despite the period charm, the merchandising feels fresh. “We’re constantly moving things,” says Mr Cole-Evans. “You can’t let the store get static. A tweak in layout changes how customers see the product – and it keeps us looking alive.” The retailer’s ability to stay agile owes much to Mr Coles-Evans. Joining the industry more than three decades ago, he has witnessed firsthand the tectonic shifts in British retail – from the heyday of department stores to the explosion of e-commerce and influencer culture. 25 years ago, spotting the growing appetite for serious cookware driven by celebrity chefs, she created Hargreaves’ now-famous kitchen shop. “It was a risk,” he admits. “At the time, cookshops weren’t a big thing in our area, but the rise of Delia and Nigella changed everything. Suddenly people wanted proper pans and gadgets. We leaned into that and never looked back.” The department, which began as a modest counter at the rear, now fills


the entire upper floor, reflecting both continuity and reinvention. “The influencers have replaced the TV chefs now,” he observes. “They’re in their own kitchens, talking directly to their audiences, and customers come to us asking for what they’ve seen online. We make sure we’ve got it – but with our quality guarantee.”


Modernising Hargreaves’ independence has proved its greatest strength. While many


retailers have been swallowed by larger chains or hampered by rigid corporate models, Buxton’s stalwart shop continues to thrive by listening and adapting. “The high street has changed beyond recognition,” says Mr Coles- Evans. “Footfall is different, expectations are different. So you ask yourself: what’s our USP? For us it’s the experience – the welcome, the history, the atmosphere. You don’t get that in a big-box store or scrolling a website. People come here because it feels good.” That belief in experience over volume extends to sourcing. “We don’t


chase every trend, but we do pay attention,” he explains. “We look for products that have longevity – brands with values and design integrity. Ideally British-made, or at least European. Our customers appreciate knowing where things come from and that they’re built to last.” Recent years have seen the addition of a carefully chosen bedding and soft furnishings department, which has been “a runaway success”. Mr Coles- Evans attributes it to a local appetite for comfort and practicality. “People want to make home feel like a sanctuary again,” he says. “If you can find the right supplier and the right price point, you can really meet that need.” The business’s 160th anniversary has given the team both cause for


celebration and reflection. “We wanted to do something special that felt authentic to us,” Mr Cole-Evans says. “So we partnered with Farrah’s – a fellow heritage brand – to create our own range of fudge, sweets and biscuits. It’s been so well received, and it’s something tangible that lets people take a piece of Hargreaves home with them.” Later this year, a grand giveaway will showcase gifts donated by suppliers,


celebrating the partnerships that underpin the business. “We were overwhelmed by the response from our suppliers,” he says. “It really shows how supportive this industry is when you’ve built those long-term relationships.”


December will see perhaps the most charming celebration of all: Alice


Hargreaves herself will return to the shop floor, brought to life by a local actress in collaboration with the Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust. “She’ll tell our story to customers in her own words – why he started, what it was like back then,” says Mr Cole-Evans “It’s going to be very special. There’s a real sense of coming full circle.” That spirit of community remains the store’s heartbeat. “We’ve got


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RETAILER SPOTLIGHT


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