ARE YOU STILL BEING SERVED?
What’s in store for independent department stores
THEY’VE been a well-loved feature of high streets for decades – selling everything from clothes and gifts to furniture and homeware.
But just like the giant House of Fraser chain, traditional independent department stores are being hit by changing shopping trends.
One of these Are You Being Served?-style stores – the Herbert Lewis shop in Chepstow on the Welsh border – is closing down after being run by the five generations of the same family.
Dee Griffith, great-great-granddaughter of founder Herbert Lewis, said: “After 140 years, this is a good time to say goodbye.” But it’s not all bad news. There are still plenty bucking the trend – including a store which opened in 1770. Jarrold and Sons is a seventh-generation-run firm, which started out as a printing and stationery operation.
Now, as well as its flagship Norwich department store, which sells clothing, beauty products, food and much more, it has a book shop, furniture store, training service and sports shop. They have a combined turnover of £34million and around 400 employees.
Despite tough times in the retail sector, Michelle Jarrold says the firm’s ability to thrive is due to “having a clear vision and understanding our customer base”.
Elsewhere, Ernest Fishpool set up his first shop, Fishpools, in 1899. Today it is still based in Waltham Cross, Herts, and is now the largest independent furniture store in the South East.
And, encouragingly, just two years ago mumof-two Deborah Holmes, 55, opened Sandersons Boutique Store in Stocksbridge, Sheffield, selling clothing, homeware and cosmetics.
She has since seen the shop’s profits and footfall soar, and says that’s because “we put our customers first”.