RETAILER FOCUS La Cookshop
Keith Crowther, owner of La Cookshop, spoke to Housewares Magazine editor, Anjali Sooknanan about the business’ background, 2023 highlights and plans for the new year.
Please introduce yourself. My name is Keith Crowther and I am the owner of La Cookshop. I started my career working in a hardware shop which was owned by my parent’s friends back in 1978. I then worked for E and F Turnbull, a wholesaler based in Newcastle, as a sales representative. Some time after, I moved to Probus Housewares as a sales representative and then a regional sales manager where I stayed until 1994.
La Cookshop was established in 1994, how have you maintained your business’ ethos/ brand identity since then? The business started in Durham in 1994 and I always wanted strong brands with a brand leading identity. I am still dealing with some of those companies today such as Le Creuset, Meyer, Cole and Mason (DKB), T and G Woodware, Tala and Horwoods, to name a few. I have built strong relationships with these companies; I stay loyal and they do too. We used to stock products from companies specialising in tableware and ceramics, however they started selling direct and undercut us. As I mentioned previously, we value loyalty so we no longer stock tableware and ceramics. The business has now evolved to include separate sections of Cookshop and Gift.
What were the business’ 2023 highlights? I am tempted, when you read the headlines, to say just still being here is a highlight. It is not, however, all doom and gloom as portrayed on TV news. There is more to retail than John Lewis! The problems they have are not necessarily applied across the whole retail sector. Throughout the year we were focused on developing new ways of getting our message across and in November, we exceeded expectations at Christmas market shows. The number of handbags and bars of soap we sell never ceases to amaze me, if only pans sold like bars of soap! Product launches were delayed considerably following COVID so it was also great to bring some new products into store last year.
La Cookshop has maintained a successful online presence, as well as a thriving retail space. What do you attribute your success to? Keeping the shop looking interesting with new products all year around. The business is situated in a destination shopping village so we have to keep the offer looking fresh all the time. Our customers are always visiting the amazing Farmshop (which rears all of its own meat so few food miles) and Coffee shop (which makes the most amazing Lemon Meringue Pie). We are located in a 150-year-old stone barn which has no picture windows so we
20 | January/February 2024
housewareslive.net
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