RETAILING


FEATURE TOOL SHOP GOES FROM


capital, whilst sporting a fresh, new look to boot. Fiona Garcia visits the chain’ s newest branches and finds out how the business has car ved out a position amongst store fronts vying for shoppers’ attention. banks we have nearby!” The unit


ool Shop Gr oup owner Vin Vara opened his first branch in Lambeth W alk in 1977. Over the years he has opened new units


Wa alk in 1 pr oposition and, month,


and acquired other independent businesses to enhance his retail last


celebrated the opening of what is now the 11th stor e in the gr oup. The latest opening – a former bookshop on Camden High Str eet – is a unit that Mr V ara has had his eye on for many years now and is delighted to have taken on the lease and got the shop under the T ool Shop umbr ella. “Just look at the footfall!” says Mr V ara standing outside the shop on a bustling Camden High Str eet. “Look at the surrounding shops and all the


Va ara has had his To Va ool Shop ara standing outside the


is sandwiched between a Vodafone showr oom and a Pret a Manger with Marks & Spencer two doors down and a host of other major high str eet names within walking distance. Ther e is little doubt it is a high-traffic ar ea and, as we talk outside, a steady str eam of passers- by cast inter ested glances towards Tool Shop’s festive windows, while several stop in their tracks and admire the display or go in to the shop itself.


Vo r,, ff To ool Shop’s festiv


The window showcases a selection of Christmas lights and decorations and is suitably festive without being tacky. As you walk through the door


r, more Christmas r,


goods occupy prime seasonal retail space and have a number of admirers eagerly eyeing the


ranges. “W Va


ara. “Bu “We werWe e just going to


do Christmas lights,” explains Mr Vara. “But people have been asking for decorations, so we’ve added those in too – even crackers, which we didn’t think would sell but they are doing really well. In fact, lights have been doing so well, we have to nick stock from our other shops.” Vara explains that the store is doing so well, its performance in its first weekend, was ahead of expectations and what he would usually expect a branch to take in its third or fourth weekend of trading. “W


Mr Va ara it,” he says. “W in and we got it in early


We’ve absolutely cracked ays. “We got the right stock we got it in early.”y.


“We We


He also believes the momentum of Black Friday and Cyber Monday has kept people in the mood to shop, helped by milder winter weather .


A warm welcome Tr


STRENGTH TO STRENGTH T


Central London independent Tool Shop G To ool Shop Group is on the acquisition trail and expanding its reach across the


“Because it wasn’t that cold, people wer e still going out and thinking they might get a bargain.”


The r eaction to the shop has been a positive one and locals h ave welcomed its arrival. New shop rainer says the team


We Tr


managerAngie Trainer says the has had a “lot of good comments” fr om locals and customers. “Quite a few people have said that it is nice to have a useful shop on the str eet again, so we’ve really had some great feedback since we opened.” The 950sq ft shop only had limited stocks in when DIY Week visited but looked far from bar e and Ms T


Ms Trainer and her team were busy filling shelf space and boosting the shop’s offer.


16 DIY WEEK 15 DECEMBER 2017


www.diyweek.net


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