The Struggles of a Village Shop
Discussion
Our village shop is owned and run by a couple who employ several staff. They do outside catering which is going well but the shop is struggling. We've now had two letters this year from the shop, asking us to use it more. The latest letter invited people to set up a monthly subscription (recommended £10) for which you will get a birthday cake each year and entered into a monthly draw for £25 hamper.
The letter stated that the purpose of the subscription is to keep the three main services going, namely papers, pharmacy (prescription pick up service) and Post Office. I support the shop by having a takeaway coffee most weekdays and occasionally picking up a couple of bottles of the local ales and milk/fruit when I've got the supermarket order wrong.
One of the shop's issues is the regulars coming in for their newspaper (daily) and never going past the counter to have a look in the rest of the shop. Given the age of the newspaper readers, they would be the demographic most inconvenienced if the shop closed. There are tables to to sit at for eating in but this doesn't often fill up the shop, meaning potential shelf space is being dropped for mostly-empty tables.
I've spoken to the owners about this on each occasion we've received the letter and they struggle with minimum order amounts coupled with lack of available storage space behind the shop. Due to this, if you're looking for all the ingredients for a spag bol four days after the week's meat delivery, you will likely be disappointed.
Do you have a village shop and if so what do they do that keeps you going in?
The letter stated that the purpose of the subscription is to keep the three main services going, namely papers, pharmacy (prescription pick up service) and Post Office. I support the shop by having a takeaway coffee most weekdays and occasionally picking up a couple of bottles of the local ales and milk/fruit when I've got the supermarket order wrong.
One of the shop's issues is the regulars coming in for their newspaper (daily) and never going past the counter to have a look in the rest of the shop. Given the age of the newspaper readers, they would be the demographic most inconvenienced if the shop closed. There are tables to to sit at for eating in but this doesn't often fill up the shop, meaning potential shelf space is being dropped for mostly-empty tables.
I've spoken to the owners about this on each occasion we've received the letter and they struggle with minimum order amounts coupled with lack of available storage space behind the shop. Due to this, if you're looking for all the ingredients for a spag bol four days after the week's meat delivery, you will likely be disappointed.
Do you have a village shop and if so what do they do that keeps you going in?
We have a small independent shop locally that specialises in in-store refills. They have large containers of cleaning products, laundry liquid, hair shampoo, hand soap etc, which is all bio/natural/vegan or whatever, but you take your container/bottle in, fill it, and pay by volume.
I tend to find it's cheaper than the big brand stuff in supermarkets, and I think the products are better. Plus once you get people into the habit of doing it, you get them coming back. One of the popular brands they stock for this is https://minimlrefills.co.uk/
You can even do it with food - nuts etc, kind of like an adult pick n mix.
What other kind of things do they sell? One thing I'd focus on are high margin items like local wines, beers and ciders.
I tend to find it's cheaper than the big brand stuff in supermarkets, and I think the products are better. Plus once you get people into the habit of doing it, you get them coming back. One of the popular brands they stock for this is https://minimlrefills.co.uk/
You can even do it with food - nuts etc, kind of like an adult pick n mix.
What other kind of things do they sell? One thing I'd focus on are high margin items like local wines, beers and ciders.
How big is the village and how close is the nearest alternative?
Our village shop is also a Post Office. We have a population of c130 and I try to support the shop when I can, our nearest other shop is five miles, and nearest supermarket is 15. We do get a large number of tourists through the summer which helps, and residents receive a discounted rate on teas and coffees, which is nice. It's also a good place to go and chat outside with the dog (not chat to the dog though). Would I pay £10 a month subscription to help it survive? Yes probably, as if it closed I would have to get a coffee at the pub (not open in the morning) or the tea rooms (way more expensive).
Our village shop is also a Post Office. We have a population of c130 and I try to support the shop when I can, our nearest other shop is five miles, and nearest supermarket is 15. We do get a large number of tourists through the summer which helps, and residents receive a discounted rate on teas and coffees, which is nice. It's also a good place to go and chat outside with the dog (not chat to the dog though). Would I pay £10 a month subscription to help it survive? Yes probably, as if it closed I would have to get a coffee at the pub (not open in the morning) or the tea rooms (way more expensive).
Our local PO / shop has gone completely over the top trying to please everyone. During lockdown when everyone was cooking random stuff, they actually had 19 different types of flour, and they are probably 10ft x 15ft with a small store room at the back. Even now, they get an odd request on Facebook for something and they immediately start stocking it, to the detriment of "normal" stock. One major benefit they have over the village Co-Op is that they allow dogs in (only one at a time though, as it is a bit cramped at the best of times) which means you can call in while out for a walk. They also stock dog treats, stored on the lower shelves, so your dog can get a whiff of them, and before you know it, you are buying a box of them as well.
Village is about 1,200 I reckon.
Nearest shop is a co-op four miles away.
Nearest supermarket six miles away.
The shop used to sell "fill your own" milk but not anymore.
They had a stint selling an Ecover-type brand stuff but they don't seem to anymore. The counter is right by the door - I wonder if it would be better along the back of the shop (1)?
There are four or five tables in the shop, which are visible from the road, so I guess when they're mostly empty, it doesn't make the view through the window look good (2).
The last time I spoke to one of the owners about the shop (waiting for a sandwich) I asked if there was any chance of changing the coffee beans - there's just a 15p difference between the coffee here and in the Buns From Home I go to opposite the BoE - but was told it's a local firm and the locals love the coffee. It is tasty (depending on who in the shop brews it!)
(1) & (2) above, I haven't suggested to them yet :-)
Nearest shop is a co-op four miles away.
Nearest supermarket six miles away.
The shop used to sell "fill your own" milk but not anymore.
They had a stint selling an Ecover-type brand stuff but they don't seem to anymore. The counter is right by the door - I wonder if it would be better along the back of the shop (1)?
There are four or five tables in the shop, which are visible from the road, so I guess when they're mostly empty, it doesn't make the view through the window look good (2).
The last time I spoke to one of the owners about the shop (waiting for a sandwich) I asked if there was any chance of changing the coffee beans - there's just a 15p difference between the coffee here and in the Buns From Home I go to opposite the BoE - but was told it's a local firm and the locals love the coffee. It is tasty (depending on who in the shop brews it!)
(1) & (2) above, I haven't suggested to them yet :-)
Some years back, ours started stocking small DIY type bits and bobs. Small bags of screws, bolts, washers, fuses, drill bits and the like....all sold off a standalone carousel. Small tins of paint, brushes and the like as well. Given that a trip to the nearest B&Q or Wickes is an hour out of one's life, the ability to quickly nip down the shop and grab something you need there and then is an absolute blessing. Most weekends there's often a decent stream of blokes queuing up with something they need to finish off a job..... and often grab a few bottles of Ale as well, to bask in one's DIY dexterity later on.
The village shops on the Orkney larger islands where remarkable.
I visited recently and each Island had at least one large independent shop stocked with almost everything papers/food/drink/household/clothes/white goods/diy including the proverbial kitchen sink. It was also the Bank, Post Office, petrol station and local community hub.
Locals and tourists used them because if they didn't and it closed they were well and truly up the Scapa Flow without a paddle.
Tesco's was a ferry ride and decent drive away. Not a great prospect on a stormy night when you run out of milk even if it is 50p cheaper.
The people serving were chatty and friendly and I suspect some were run by community volunteers.
If moved to a place like that I would be very happy to do a few hours a week helping out.
Basically it's use it or lose it.. So I advocate supporting yours as much as is practicable.
I visited recently and each Island had at least one large independent shop stocked with almost everything papers/food/drink/household/clothes/white goods/diy including the proverbial kitchen sink. It was also the Bank, Post Office, petrol station and local community hub.
Locals and tourists used them because if they didn't and it closed they were well and truly up the Scapa Flow without a paddle.
Tesco's was a ferry ride and decent drive away. Not a great prospect on a stormy night when you run out of milk even if it is 50p cheaper.
The people serving were chatty and friendly and I suspect some were run by community volunteers.
If moved to a place like that I would be very happy to do a few hours a week helping out.
Basically it's use it or lose it.. So I advocate supporting yours as much as is practicable.
How rural are you? Is there much space outside the shop? In otherwords, Is there scope to attract cyclists to the shop for tea / coffee / cake?
As an example, if I'm out Shrewsbury way on my bike I'll often stop here to grab some take-out cake for a post-ride treat (they do great pastel de nata)
https://www.thehaughmond.co.uk/village-store-cafe-...
Sunday was obviously nice weather which helps but I called in about 11am and there were probably 20+ cyclists all having drinks and cakes.
As an example, if I'm out Shrewsbury way on my bike I'll often stop here to grab some take-out cake for a post-ride treat (they do great pastel de nata)
https://www.thehaughmond.co.uk/village-store-cafe-...
Sunday was obviously nice weather which helps but I called in about 11am and there were probably 20+ cyclists all having drinks and cakes.
They need to move the paper collection point to the back of the shop.
There's a reason why supermarkets put the bakery as far away from the entrance as possible.
Maybe point them in the direction of this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Why-We-Buy-Underhill/dp/1...
There's a reason why supermarkets put the bakery as far away from the entrance as possible.
Maybe point them in the direction of this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Why-We-Buy-Underhill/dp/1...
It's very sad. When people buy all their food in a supermarket, buy everything else on Amazon and don't read newspapers, you wonder how the once-thriving village shop will continue. Chances are it will become a house or a tattoo parlour 
And so if you want ham you have to buy four slices in a plastic packet for £3.49 from the CoOp that constantly witters on about how green it is and how much it cares about the community. They closed the deli counter saying 'it's what we wanted'.
My high street is slowly dying. As useful shops close, they are replaced by what I call 'high quality tat shops' run by arty types who never seem to sell anything. A bath bomb for £12? You must be joking. But it's better than tattoo parlours.
And so if you want ham you have to buy four slices in a plastic packet for £3.49 from the CoOp that constantly witters on about how green it is and how much it cares about the community. They closed the deli counter saying 'it's what we wanted'.
My high street is slowly dying. As useful shops close, they are replaced by what I call 'high quality tat shops' run by arty types who never seem to sell anything. A bath bomb for £12? You must be joking. But it's better than tattoo parlours.
MisanoPayments said:
Our village shop is owned and run by a couple who employ several staff. They do outside catering which is going well but the shop is struggling. ...
A business guru would say, concentrate on and grow the profitable catering business and close the loss making village shop.
Villagers would say, we need the shop, so keep it open for us and use the catering profits to subsidise the shop losses (which will inevitably increase).
Some rural shops are thriving (several parades of shops in East Horsley, Surrey, is one example) but since car ownership increased, that marked the start of the decline for rural shops.
Times change. An increasing number of people, including the elderly, now prefer to press a few buttons on a tablet, then let other people do the time consuming drudgery of shopping (grocery home delivery and an online shopping firm offering free home delivery).
With high prices of postage stamps and also newspapers, it just encourages avoiding the physical product. Reading newspapers online is now simple and even paywalls can easily be bypassed.
It is disappointing to see shops close, but it is of course the customers who dictate the pace of change.
id love to live in a village, i swamped with supermarkets,
my daughter moved to one in the peak district, and i love the village feel and i always make a point of going in the independent pub and the little grocers on her road,
i couldnt tell you what he sells, but each time i call up it seems to cost me £40 a time.
my daughter moved to one in the peak district, and i love the village feel and i always make a point of going in the independent pub and the little grocers on her road,
i couldnt tell you what he sells, but each time i call up it seems to cost me £40 a time.
Maybe ScottBarnett93 can help them:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
A challenge for him to see if he can turn around a small village shop.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
A challenge for him to see if he can turn around a small village shop.
You might find this an entertaining read
“Rivets, Trivets and Galvanised Buckets: Life in the village hardware shop”
“In 2018 Tom Fort's daughter-in-law took over a century-old hardware shop. The family dreamed of developing the shop into one that would become the centre of village life; that much did come true, but not in the way they had expected.
Interweaving the evolution of the shop, its previous owners, the customers it serves and the items it sells, Rivets, Trivets & Galvanised Buckets offers a delightful study of community and shines a light on the eccentricities of ordinary people. Alongside, it presents a fascinating history of techno-logical development; from who thought of screwdrivers to where the spirit level came from, who devised the process of galvanisation and what genius worked out that a suction pad on the end of a piece of wood could unblock sinks.”
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0B3MFT28T/ref...
“Rivets, Trivets and Galvanised Buckets: Life in the village hardware shop”
“In 2018 Tom Fort's daughter-in-law took over a century-old hardware shop. The family dreamed of developing the shop into one that would become the centre of village life; that much did come true, but not in the way they had expected.
Interweaving the evolution of the shop, its previous owners, the customers it serves and the items it sells, Rivets, Trivets & Galvanised Buckets offers a delightful study of community and shines a light on the eccentricities of ordinary people. Alongside, it presents a fascinating history of techno-logical development; from who thought of screwdrivers to where the spirit level came from, who devised the process of galvanisation and what genius worked out that a suction pad on the end of a piece of wood could unblock sinks.”
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0B3MFT28T/ref...
Thanks all for your input!
When I pop in over the weekend, I'll mention the ideas. I think the most expensive might be the best - moving the counter to the back of the shop. The small carousel of DIY bits is a good idea too.
I guess you cannot please everyone all the time so it must be a difficult business. Last week I came out without a coffee as the morning guy was marking up the newspapers ready for their subscriber collections so I was asked to come back in five mins. Once last year I went in four up for breakfast and was told they couldn't do it as their ovens all had bread baking in them!
When I pop in over the weekend, I'll mention the ideas. I think the most expensive might be the best - moving the counter to the back of the shop. The small carousel of DIY bits is a good idea too.
I guess you cannot please everyone all the time so it must be a difficult business. Last week I came out without a coffee as the morning guy was marking up the newspapers ready for their subscriber collections so I was asked to come back in five mins. Once last year I went in four up for breakfast and was told they couldn't do it as their ovens all had bread baking in them!
Do they have Evri drop off, yodel drop off, amazon lockers etc etc? There's a convenience place near us that has all of them (admittedly I'm in a city), but they are the busiest non-supermarket shop for a good distance.
Thre's another small independent near us that's a Deli mainly, but has 'posh' versions of common things, like chopped tomatoes at vastly inflated prices, but also has a few tables for coffe and sadwiches etc. Also does fresh bread and you can reserve ahead, need to get there early if you want some nice bread and haven't reserved. Then they also do preprepared meals in teakaway trays for Friday and Saturday nights, each week being only 1 dish for that night, e,g. lasagne, curry with all the extras, etc etc to reheat at home, I know that sells out every week, but it's pick up only so another excuse to get people to the shop.
It's a 1000 small things that will save them not one big idea. Subscription might work for say milk, bread etc. Incentives for spending more e.g. stamp for a free coffee after 6 stamps each time you spend £10 (if average spend is currently £8).
Thre's another small independent near us that's a Deli mainly, but has 'posh' versions of common things, like chopped tomatoes at vastly inflated prices, but also has a few tables for coffe and sadwiches etc. Also does fresh bread and you can reserve ahead, need to get there early if you want some nice bread and haven't reserved. Then they also do preprepared meals in teakaway trays for Friday and Saturday nights, each week being only 1 dish for that night, e,g. lasagne, curry with all the extras, etc etc to reheat at home, I know that sells out every week, but it's pick up only so another excuse to get people to the shop.
It's a 1000 small things that will save them not one big idea. Subscription might work for say milk, bread etc. Incentives for spending more e.g. stamp for a free coffee after 6 stamps each time you spend £10 (if average spend is currently £8).
Thanks for that Mr O.
You've reminded me that the shop is going to start their own cooked meals for re-heating at home - taking advantage of new off site premises acquired for the offsite catering side.
Yes, they sell bread, which you can pre-order to not miss out, and we will subscribe to that to supplement the Tesco stuff too.
You've reminded me that the shop is going to start their own cooked meals for re-heating at home - taking advantage of new off site premises acquired for the offsite catering side.
Yes, they sell bread, which you can pre-order to not miss out, and we will subscribe to that to supplement the Tesco stuff too.
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