SEVENOAKS SOUND & VISION Retailer Profile
16
‘We want to excite people to come back into our shops’
As Sevenoaks Sound & Vision opens the doors to its new Sutton Coldfield store, ERT’s Will McGill speaks to General Manager Simon Bicknell about the importance of bricks-and-mortar retail, changing consumer habits and the role retailers play in today’s market.
S
evenoaks Sound & Vision is bucking the trend at a time when many retailers are reducing their presence on the high street. The retailer has opened a new store in Sutton
Coldfield, replacing its former Solihull branch following the redevelopment of the town centre, and in doing so has reaffirmed its confidence in bricks-and-mortar retail. For General Manager Simon Bicknell, the move isn’t solely about changing location. It’s about putting Sevenoaks closer to its customers while continuing to champion the experience that has long set the business apart. “Our key motivation is building up our in-store business,” Mr Bicknell tells ERT. “We’re always looking at ways we can excite people to come back into the shops.” The Sutton Coldfield showroom opened its
doors after months of planning, but the move itself was prompted by circumstances beyond
the retailer’s control. Solihull Council’s long- term redevelopment plans meant Sevenoaks had to vacate its previous premises,
want to do. It’s right for our customers.” The response since opening has already
forcing
the company to look elsewhere in the West Midlands. Rather than seeing it as a setback, Mr Bicknell and Managing Director Rob Lawley viewed it as an opportunity to strengthen the business in an area that has always been important to the retailer. “We had a fantastic team in Solihull, so we
were determined to find a new location for them,” he explains. “The West Midlands is a strong area for us and, when we looked at where many of our customers were travelling from, Sutton Coldfield made perfect sense.” The pair spent time travelling across the
region looking at potential sites before settling on Gracechurch Shopping Centre. “We travelled the whole of the West Midlands looking for the right fit,” says Mr Bicknell. “Where we’ve ended up is perfect for what we
reinforced that decision. Mr Bicknell spent the opening week helping to fit out the showroom before welcoming customers through the doors on launch day, when more than 100 visitors came to see the new store.
“It was fantastic,” he says. “One of the nicest things was seeing customers come in asking to speak to members of the team by name. They’d say, ‘Can I speak to Wayne?’ or ‘Is Tom here?’ Those relationships have been built over years and people were genuinely pleased to see us back.”
Just as encouraging were the visitors discovering Sevenoaks for the first time. “We had plenty of people from the local
area coming in and saying, ‘It’s so great to have a shop like this here. We’ll definitely be back.’ It was really nice to feel welcomed into Sutton Coldfield.”
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