Press Room: 28 Aug 09
RETAILERS
INNOVATION is a long-established and self-confessedly ‘funky’ and ‘bohemian’ gift shop in Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire. Mary Brittain spoke to Hilary Darby, who with her husband David Fletcher, is the inspiration behind its on-going success.
Hebden Bridge is a picturesque former textile-mill town in a dramatic setting in the Pennine Hills. It has interesting architecture and boasts many reclaimed industrial buildings set in attractive old streets. A magnet for tourists, it was described recently in a British Airways ‘In Flight’ magazine as ‘one of the funkiest towns in the world’ whilst also boasting terrific independent shops. These include good local food outlets, antique shops, book shops and of course ‘INNOVATION’ – a rather unusual gift shop that draws its diverse clientele from an extremely wide area.
INNOVATION was established in 1969 by David Fletcher who was later joined in the business by Hilary Darby when they married: neither comes from a retail background. Hilary previously worked in tourism promotion while David was an academic with a passion for industrial heritage and the environment, who simply couldn’t stand by and watch an old grit-stone water mill that dated from medieval times being demolished. He mortgaged everything, bought the mill and gradually restored it. That mill, which boasts a working water wheel at its centre, became the home for INNOVATION. The shop is sited on the ground floor of this substantial building on a tributary of the River Calder which also houses a toy shop, artists’ workshops and an Italian restaurant.
The building is stunning, with big old windows and natural stone walls but as such it provides quite a challenge as to how best to display contemporary giftware. “We’ve gone for quite a bohemian look, with an old wooden pharmacy counter and a huge textile cutting table on which we display things. The effect we’re going for is funky and quirky and we’ve tried to incorporate lots of different textures colours and scents,” says Hilary. Scented candles from local supplier Colony and delicious perfumed delights from Neal’s Yard Remedies help create atmosphere.
The shop’s spacious premises lend themselves well to the creation of a number of distinct areas including its own in-house café-bar serving traditional home-made snacks, soups and soft drinks. There is also a distinct ‘shop within a shop’ for INNOVATION’s extensive greetings card collection. “Many people come especially to stock up on cards,” says Hilary. Although home décor products are not selling as well for INNOVATION as they once did, the shop still boasts a number of themed room sets to provide inspiration for customers as to how they might use stock in their own homes. Recent additions to the shops mini departments have been a cabinet of ‘Toys for Boys’ featuring gadgets and a ‘Girly Gifts’ area where Kimmi Dolls have proven to be firm favourites.
Following a recent trip to Home & Gift in Harrogate, where she heard an inspirational talk by visual merchandising guru, Craig Phillipson, Hilary told me that she has been doing a fair amount of re-grouping within the store. “Craig was extremely interesting and has certainly given me some great ideas. We are finding that we are having to work a bit harder for sales than we once did and looking at sight lines in the shop and moving product around, as he suggested, has really paid off. We’ve even sold some expensive items that had been with us for longer than they should have been, simply by lowering their display position,” she says.
Hilary is a great fan of seminars and takes every opportunity she can at the various trade events she visits to keep up-to-date with the latest retailing techniques and with fashion trends. “I love the seminars at Home & Gift and at Spring and Autumn Fair. They really enthuse me. There is no doubt that these days we must be professional. You have to really, really focus and try to get your buying and your prices right. We are lucky to have a great team (they currently employ eight staff in the shop) and I find that giving them real responsibility and the opportunity to buy products in their own specialist areas – for example jewellery and accessories – has really paid dividends,” she says..
So what would be Hilary’s ‘Top Tips’ for would-be gift retailers?
• “Make sure your store has individuality and its own distinct personality.
• Empower your staff – they won’t disappoint you.
• Keep a very sharp eye on trends. You need to know before they know themselves what your customers are going to want to buy.
• Be loyal to your suppliers and they will be there for you when you need them.
• Try branded products. Although we have sold plush products for years we are enjoying real success with the Beatrix Potter and Paddington Bear ranges from Rainbow. They clearly have nostalgic appeal.”
And if you had just one tip?
“Our shop is called INNOVATION and I think its name is at the heart of its success. We have always tried to be one step ahead of the trends and to bring our customers original and interesting products. If you take your eye off the ball, especially in the current climate, and stop moving your business on with a high turnover of new stock, fresh merchandising and modern ideas I think you are unlikely to succeed.”
Members Section
Upcoming Events
-
London Gift Fair
12 - 14 September
-
Top Drawer Autumn
12 - 14 September 2010 -
Press Room
