NEWS EXTRA


NEWS EXTRA


the market. The Stoke-based online tile retailer r eported 60% year -on- year growth for its first three years trading – earning itself a place on The Sunday T Wa


T Tiimes Fast Track showroom in Tu unstall last unstall last Tr k Ones To To


Watch 10 list in December; it moved into a brand new , £10m purpose-w,, £10m built headquarters warehouse and T unstall last year and,


just last month, opened the doors to its second bricks-and-mortar showroom in Greater Manchester. The retailer declares it is having fantastic success with its new physical


customers driving from miles around to browse Tile Mountain’sTiile Mountain’s offer is currently exploring other locations for the format.


showrooms, which have r,, and


The business is set for growth – with plans for 15 showrooms across the UK and a target to double the number of products it carries online from 1,000 to 2,000 lines. Looking at


the To calibr e of its


management team – chairman Mo Iqbal and managing director Jeremy Harris – who are both former directors of the Topps TilesTiiles chain and boast around 50 years in tile retailing between them; it’s little wonder the business is on a winning streak. But, Mr Iqbal said, in many ways, he has learned more from the mistakes he has made in these roles


ile Mountain


has


been making headlines


since


its inception in 2013 and is now a serious contender in


GEARS UP FOR GROWTH


TILE MOUNT


than the achievements. “Over my career I have learnt a lot of ‘what not to do’,” he explained. “My kids asked me the other day where I get all my experience from and I said from all the mistakes I’ve ever You don’t forget about your


made. Yo To ou don’t


mistakes and people don’t let you forget either!”


Mr Iqbal spent 13 years with Topps before taking on T


king on T old it to the Tra Tiile Giant


– growing that business from two stores to a nationwide network of 32 by the time he sold it to the T


Tr vis


Perkins Group for £12million. unded T


He founded T diff


Mr Harris and another former T exec, Nick Ounstead, who has a non- executive role in the business, when they spotted a gap in the market and felt consumers were crying out for a fferent way to buy tiles.


is and another former Topps


Tiile Mountain with To


“For anyone on the high street at the moment, it’s a str


ment, it’s a struggle,” said Mr


Iqbal. “Customer habits are changing. I don’t think shopping is as high on people’s agenda as before because they like their leisure time.”


that Ti NTAIN TA


Chairman Mo Iqbal reveals plans f or more UK showrooms and explains why online retailer will alwa ys be ahead of the game when it comes to price and knowing wha t the customer wants. Fiona Garcia reports.


Wi ith savvy consumers demandingWith savvy consumers deman more value and convenience, Mr Iqbal explains why it’s important that Tile Mountain keep its pricesTile Mountain keep its p competitive and why some of its rivals in the market ar e missing the mark. “People know the price of tiles. Nobody is going to pay £70 per sq m for something that they know should be £40 per sq m. Some of our competitors are working on high margins and, years ago a customer would never know this, but now access to data about a business is out


Mr Iqbal describes Tile


Mountain’s showrooms as “the future of selling” and says they are an important part of the retailer’s expansion


8 DIY WEEK 20 JULY 2018 www.diyweek.net


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