RETAILING
manager at the Baker Street store to manage the new Camden outlet. Working closely with Mr Bhanderi on getting the store up and running in time, she has relished the challenge. “We’ve really enjoyed the journey and being part of it from start to finish. It was a completely blank canvas, so it’s been great.”
“The suppliers we stock in this shop are the same bread and butter as we have in our other branches but the high-value lines,” says Mr Vara. “The ones where we make the most margin.”
He explains that, with Poundland
across the road from the new shop, he has had to think carefully about the Tool Shop’s proposition in this location to create a point of difference. “We have gone for middle and top-end in a lot of categories. With cleaning, for example, we stock Centurion’s premium cleaning range Mellerud and we do Marigold gloves, rather than cheaper own-brand ones, which Poundland would do. We’re not touching anything low-end here – we are going one step up.” The shops offer everything from seasonal goods and heating products, to paint, tools and plumbing lines. Each store also boasts a Dulux paint- mixing machine and display stand full of paint colour cards.
The strategy when opening a new Tool Shop branch in any location is to offer the lines the team knows work well at other branches, before gradually tailoring that to meet the specific needs of the local customers based on feedback and product requests. “First we need to get a presence and then we see what customers want,” says Mr Vara. “At the moment we have just put in what we want but every day the team makes lists and continues to plan the offer. It’s very fluid.” It has been a lot of work turning the shop around in such a short space of time and Mr Vara praised the efforts of his team – both in store and those based at the head office, including administration manager Sarah Edmiston and logistics manager Ravi Kara, as well as Upper Street branch manager Vishal Bhanderi. Ms Trainer, who has been with
Tool Shop for 10 years, has moved over from her role as assistant
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The shop also boasts several floors full of storage space, which was part of the appeal for Mr Vara and is something none of the other units benefit from. Having closed its central warehouse due to rocketing rents, the group was very much in need of some more stock-holding space to help serve the rest of the network of stores – all of which are a few miles from each other and within driving distance.
Keeping busy
The Camden shop threw open its doors just two months after another new Tool Shop branch, in Islington, started trading and Mr Vara has committed to opening a further four units by Easter, so there is no time for the team to sit and pat themselves on the back before the next project begins. The 800sq ft unit on Upper Street in Islington, is the second Tool Shop branch on the same stretch of road but it is already doing well and Mr Vara is convinced there is enough trade to sustain both. The idea had been to find a larger premises to expand the original shop but, when nothing suitable could be found, it was decided another smaller site could complement it and grow the trade side of the business. Both shops on the trendy North London street boast striking window displays, punctuated by hanging vintage and antique style lightbulbs to highlight the vast offer instore from brands such as Crompton Lamps, Trillion and Pifco. “The displays look fantastic lit up at night,” he enthuses. “Catering for customers in certain parts of Central London means you have to keep on top of key trends and also offer these products at the right price. Lamps are very strong in the two shops on Upper Street – particularly the antique style bulbs. This is a very hip street and is mostly occupied by independent shops.” As well as growing the store estate, Mr Vara is also working to update the business, refreshing the store signage, complete with a new- look logo, and launching a brand new and improved website. Part of the refresh also involves creating more environmentally-friendly stores. While Tool Shop can count
electric vehicles amongst its delivery fleet and has introduced some more eco-friendly elements into existing stores, the new additions to the portfolio have allowed Mr Vara to indulge this plan further. “We went completely eco with the Camden store,” he says. “We put in LED lighting, sustainable wood flooring, you name it, we did it… and, honestly, you can really tell the difference between the energy bills of that store and the other branches. It’s crazy.”
A plan for the future
Shop number 12 is set to open in Paddington at the end of January, as Tool Shop is set to complete the acquisition of another independent, Paddington Hardware on Spring Street. The brothers who run the business together approached Mr Vara when one decided he wanted to retire and the location fit well with the network Mr Vara is building. The team are already busy getting prepped and ready to take the new unit on and Mr Vara is excited about
what the new addition means for Tool Shop.
As the business grows and experienced staff are moved over to manage new outlets, it paves the way for other employees to work their way up the ladder and progress their careers within the business. This is very important to Mr Vara and he is keen to nurture talent within the group, meaning employees can visualise a future and clear career path with the Tool Shop. Other locations are already in the pipeline but Mr Vara remains tight lipped about where the next three Tool Shops will set up. Choosing the right site is imperative and he and his team are always sure to carry out thorough research to make sure it is a good fit for the group. “We nearly took on the site next to what became the small-format B&Q on the Holloway Road,” he laughs. “Now that wouldn’t have been a great decision.” But, for now, every move the business has made seems to have paid off and enhanced its proposition and Mr Vara and his team are very
15 DECEMBER 2017 DIY WEEK 17
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