RANGE REVIEW: TOOLS


like a greyhound. I have spent countless evenings laying out the floorplan, looking at where the trade counter was going to go, working out the return on capital per square metre, and so on.” Dale has been keen to move Epic


Tools from its former site for some time now and has been on the lookout for the perfect site to bring his vision of what he describes as “tool heaven” to fruition. When this unit on Moor Business Park became available, it was an opportunity too good to miss. “We outgrew our previous


premises about five years ago. It was really over-stocked and we were having to sub out warehousing to other people to store things,” says Dale. “In my opinion, we had to take the next big leap and make the move in order to develop the business and survive in the market. “I’ve always wanted to have a


really nice premium quality tool store for local trade and DIY customers – plus the online is growing steadily, so I knew it was possible, we just needed the right space. I got wind that the building was coming on about eight months ago, so I had my beady eye on it.” Detailing what the new site –


previously occupied by the NHS – will mean for the business, Dale says: “There are so many positives: We are only a mile away from our old premises, so we have kept the catchment of our customers, plus we are now in a more industrial environment, with factories and fabrication companies, so we have all that to tap into in the future; we are also situated at the edge of the industrial estate, so there is massive 50ft signage to bring people in; plus a new bypass has just been built right by here, so there is great access.” The retailer is also no longer reliant on roadside car parking, as the new unit boasts “tons of car parking”, which Dale adds is a “massive bonus,” particularly for trade customers who can simply pull up in their van and load up.


Increased range The sheer scale up in size provides huge opportunities for Epic Tools, as Dale admits the business is a “heavy stockist”. “I don’t like to see just one of something – I like to see stock on the shelf. Where some people might have two axels, I have 15. I am also a brand-led man. I understood years ago that people buy brands and the tools market is massively brand led.” The new shop carries around


10,000 lines but that figure is likely to grow, as Dale says he has big


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plans for the business now it is in its new home. “We’ve brought in a lot of new ranges, including mew premium brands I’ve always wanted to do,” explains Dale. “We’ve brought in Knipex, Wera, Milwaukee, Stabila, TIS, and Teng drills; we have heavily expanded our DeWalt range, as well as introducing Hultafors on to the shop floor and expanded our range from Monument Tools. We dabbled in some of these brands online but never in any real meaningful way like we are able to do now.” Suppliers have understandably


been excited about Epic Tools’ new move and Dale’s desire for a slick, modern and heavily-branded shopping environment. As a result they have worked closely with the company to kit out the new shopfloor in line with his objectives. “We’ve had a tremendous amount of help from our suppliers,” Dale says. “I’m quite self-sufficient but


I have welcomed the support on this because I really want it to be a success. Suppliers are getting extremely excited. They’ve been travelling down, staying over, coming in and sorting stands, and all sorts. It’s been such a whirlwind, I’ve not really had the time to soak it all in. We’ve only been trading for three weeks now!” Epic Tools officially started trading from the new site on May 1 and the reaction from customers has, unsurprisingly, been hugely positive. “When people walk through the door, the first thing they say is ‘wow’,” Dale exclaims proudly. “We’ve had visits from our very loyal customers who have sought us out and found us. We’ve not even got our proper signage up yet! We’ve got flags up outside but should have our proper sign up soon,” he adds.


Strong vision “People are saying ‘I can’t believe it’ when they look around but I’ve always known this has been possible. We’ve always had these products; customers just couldn’t see them because they were in a back room. There are so many things I want to do now we are here. I realise the market is very challenging at the moment, so many people may have thought I was a bit crazy going for this now.” He added, that amongst the suppliers who supported him on this journey, Toolbank has been a big advocate of what Epic Tools is trying to achieve. “Toolbank is a very traditional company and, whilst they clearly haven’t ignored online, they love a retail shop and have been really excited by this


store counter. I will grow steadily and slowly.”


“There are so many things I want to do now we are here. I realise the market is very challenging at moment, so many people may have thought I was a bit crazy going for this now.” Dale Mickleburgh


project. I think also, probably, just someone having the balls to do it… I mean, who’s going to open a dedicated premium tool shop when we’ve seen shops shutting over the past two years? But I’ve got such a vision! We’ve now got the ability to shout about what we do.” With a stellar store environment


now in place to lure customers in and cater to their every tool need, Epic Tools is also well placed to further develop its ever-growing online business. Although it doesn’t currently operate a dedicated transactional website, the potential offered by the new building, which also boasts offices, mezzanine floors, and kitchen facilities, means the launch of such a site is now not such a distant reality. “We sell online via Ebay and also


used to sell via another channel but that software wasn’t up to scratch and couldn’t quite cope with the 25,000 lines we were offering, so we are now looking at another route,” Dale explains. “We have been relying on suppliers for drop- shipping , so one of the benefits of this building is that we can now set up four more desks and bring in new IT people to develop online.” In fact, there are plans to grow


Epic Tools’ current 10-strong workforce further, as the capacity of the business grows. Dale says: “The reason I haven’t grown the team any further is because I knew the move would require capital but I definitely need more staff, including in IT, the warehouse and even on the


Staying social The business has a strong social media presence and the new site has provided plenty of material for posts to Instagram, Facebook and Twitter in recent weeks – much to the delight of its thousands of followers. On Instagram alone, which is the retailer’s most prominent platform, Epic Tools has 38,500 followers. “We put a picture of Wera sockets on Instagram two days ago and had 55,000 interactions with that one post!” Dale exclaims. Epic Tools certainly realises the


value social media can bring to the business. “We’ve not shied away from social media. It’s how we interact with the end user and I use it as a way of showing them our business and what we have on offer. It’s part of the game now and helps us to fully engage and invite customers into the business. Even the localised trade customers wait to see what we put on there. I heard a customer the other day some in and say ‘I saw this on Instagram, do you have that in stock?’. And, that makes it worthwhile because I know it’s working.” Adding that it’s a huge surprise


just how many professional tradesman use platforms like Instagram, Dale says: “They’re all on there – electricians, plumbers, heating engineers, you name it! They are out there, always looking and hungry for information. It’s another route to take you to market.” Whilst Dale is very firm in his


belief in this project and the doors it will open for the business, he is also aware of what Epic Tools needs to provide to its customers to stay on top of its game; asserting that it is so much more than cheap prices. “I am a staunch realist. I know


there are negatives in the news as well as success stories like ours, and don’t even get me started on margins on products! “I love range. If I want to stock something, then I stock the range, then the accessories to go with the range, plus a few spare parts. You’re never going to be the cheapest retailer out there. That’s a race to the bottom and is no good for anyone. We offer products at a competitive price but also have the range and service to go with it.” He concludes: “I am a great believer in quality and good service. We want to keep the business going but in a more modern way. I don’t do this for financial reasons; I do it because I love it. I have a real passion for what I do. I love business and I love doing business with people.”


24 MAY 2019 DIY WEEK 23


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