christmas Festive ‘Five Gold Rings’ at
Woodbridge Kitchen Company Paul Venediger, from Woodbridge Kitchen Company, talks to Housewares on how they prepare for the festive season and the different ways they have had to adapt this year.
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estled in the market town of Woodbridge within proximity to the seaside, independent retailer
Woodbridge Kitchen Company have been busy with their run-up to Christmas. Despite being a very different year to Christmas past, co-owners Paul Venediger and Kirsteen Torrance have been working behind the scenes to ensure its ‘business as usual’ when it is safe to open back up. Despite the hurdles this year has faced, Paul and Kirsteen have developed their online presencehave developed their online presence and with a new and improved EPOS system, customers are able to shop safely from the comfort of their home with real-time stock updates. Established in 1984, Woodbridge Kitchen Company are passionate about the products they sell. The shop is open seven days a week and the eight members of staff who work there are also avid cooks who are knowledgeable on the products they sell. As an independent retailer, Venediger says they strive to sell ‘good products with good advice’. The shop stocks over 4000 products ranging from of the best kitchen brands such as, Dualit, Baxix, Russell Hobbs and Breville to a range of linen from smaller UK suppliers. Whilst they do sell a small selection of budget ranges, they tend to stock ‘middle to high ranges that provide good quality as opposed to single use’. Choosing to stock harder to find products, ones that infrequently come up on search engine websites, and being more eclectic with their ranges allows for chopping and changing. Doing so allows for flexibility The festive season is busy for anyone who works in retail and this is the same for Paul and his family. ‘Christmas is a time for relaxation and using the very limited time off to enjoy the season’ says Venediger. ‘From September we are working hard to bring in seasonal stock ready for October. From November we look to replenish popular lines or items and continue to do so throughout December. Working with suppliers, we tend to pick 3-5 items or lines and aim to replenish them quickly. We also have the choice to extend lines if we think it would be beneficial. It really is twelve hours a day, seven days a week for six weeks.’ Like many others in the industry, Woodbridge Kitchen Company has faced its challenges and the run up to Christmas hasn’t been the same with shops having to close for the duration of
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November for a second national lockdown. Typically, the business would see thirty percent of their turnover over the Christmas period. Covid-19 has shaped the way the retail
industry functions and has pushed them to work in ways they wouldn’t typically. With more people opting for online shopping, moving online has seen to be profitable and worthy of the hard work put behind the scenes. Independant retailers have had to make the move onto the internet in a bid to keep up with larger online houseware retailers, such as Amazon and high-street chains that have a large online presence. This year, Woodbridge Kitchen Company’s window display takes inspiration from the classic Christmas song ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’. The ‘Five Gold Rings’ give a special touch to the shop window and emphasise the chosen products featured in their centre.
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HousewaresLive.net •
twitter.com/Housewaresnews November/December 2020
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