First retail ‘name’ to pop off 2018
Discussion
Interesting that HoF have been mentioned seeing as they are in the news about trying to reduce store costs/footprint by 30% but avoid closures. Appealed to their landlords about rent costs, No doubt if they make similar noises to the local council about rates they will get the bum's rush.
Guardian said:
House of Fraser seeks to cut store size and rent bill after tough Christmas
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/jan/05/h...
Article also mentions Debenhams in same breath.https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/jan/05/h...
Digga said:
okgo said:
I must say I think most of the highstreet could become quite obsolete very quickly if they don't diversify/keep up with shopping habits.
In the provinces, the high street is in terminal decline. Metropolitan shopping may be different, but in towns where the LA have seemingly done all they ca to restrict access to motor vehicles and remove or charge exorbitant fees for parking, then extract unsustainable property rates from businesses, the whole edifice is crumbling.This would be bad enough if they were not fighting multiple battles; out of town shopping centres, online retail and the fact that people's leisure time habits have altered radically. Gym and fitness/sports in general are possibly the biggest competitors to shopping time with younger generations.
My thoughts?
History tells us...
Great Mills,
then morphs into Focus,
then morphs into Focus DIY...
then morphs into B&Q
Got to be B&Q surely?
Does Kingfisher Group really need Screwfix 'and' B&Q?
Our local store is open 7 days a week and most times I go in I come out empty handed and it has more staff than customers.
It's online site is beyond hopeless. Masses of items listed, hardly any stocked.
Abysmal store to what it used to be.
History tells us...
Great Mills,
then morphs into Focus,
then morphs into Focus DIY...
then morphs into B&Q
Got to be B&Q surely?
Does Kingfisher Group really need Screwfix 'and' B&Q?
Our local store is open 7 days a week and most times I go in I come out empty handed and it has more staff than customers.
It's online site is beyond hopeless. Masses of items listed, hardly any stocked.
Abysmal store to what it used to be.
Are they struggling or are they forcing the landlords hand? Maybe both?
Most highstreets and out of town stores have at least 2 or 3 of Debs, HoF, LW or M&S. In the out of town stores near me they are usually huge stores at the end of the mall occupied by one if these, and you usually have to walk through them from the car park (probably planned when built of course). If they close its unlikely there will be any takers in their place and the mall will be left with a huge void at the end. Instead of being greety by warm and fuzzy retail when you enter, you will instead be greeted with some kind of make shift passage way knocked up quickly. Maybe it could be redesigned for smaller outfits but it would have a different vibe if the big retailers are gone. It would feel like an outlet.
Having said that, i used to like HoF in particular and used to be able to find decent things in there. I would go in for jeans and come out with jeans, t-shirts and jumpers having spent far more than intended.
Im mid-30s now so maybe I am getting old but I just cannot be bothered looking round a store that only stocks super skinny slim fit jeans that cost £130, or a bomber jacket that costs £300 because it has a tiny logo on the arm and is still poor quality. Cant shop around because each brand is copying the other and its just more super slim skinny jeans. I barely shop anymore and keep clothes much longer. I used to like Zara but I feel they have been gender fluid for at least 5-8years. Whenever i am looking at their jeans or jackets / cardigans, i have to double take that I am not in the womens section. I just dont go there anymore.
Maybe retail has reached peak fashion (and peak price) and have no idea what to do about it
Most highstreets and out of town stores have at least 2 or 3 of Debs, HoF, LW or M&S. In the out of town stores near me they are usually huge stores at the end of the mall occupied by one if these, and you usually have to walk through them from the car park (probably planned when built of course). If they close its unlikely there will be any takers in their place and the mall will be left with a huge void at the end. Instead of being greety by warm and fuzzy retail when you enter, you will instead be greeted with some kind of make shift passage way knocked up quickly. Maybe it could be redesigned for smaller outfits but it would have a different vibe if the big retailers are gone. It would feel like an outlet.
Having said that, i used to like HoF in particular and used to be able to find decent things in there. I would go in for jeans and come out with jeans, t-shirts and jumpers having spent far more than intended.
Im mid-30s now so maybe I am getting old but I just cannot be bothered looking round a store that only stocks super skinny slim fit jeans that cost £130, or a bomber jacket that costs £300 because it has a tiny logo on the arm and is still poor quality. Cant shop around because each brand is copying the other and its just more super slim skinny jeans. I barely shop anymore and keep clothes much longer. I used to like Zara but I feel they have been gender fluid for at least 5-8years. Whenever i am looking at their jeans or jackets / cardigans, i have to double take that I am not in the womens section. I just dont go there anymore.
Maybe retail has reached peak fashion (and peak price) and have no idea what to do about it
I thought Dunelm were direct competitors of John Lewis?
All the JL stores I visit seem pretty packed and they have some very nice offerings and despite the price they are too tempting to pass on. Plus I can order online and collect at any Waitrose. I occasionally visit Debs and more rarely House of Fraser; HoF seems an expensive version of Debs and neither ever seems to stock anything clotheswise in my size and lots of household tat that I don't need and haven't got space for so what's the point?
All the JL stores I visit seem pretty packed and they have some very nice offerings and despite the price they are too tempting to pass on. Plus I can order online and collect at any Waitrose. I occasionally visit Debs and more rarely House of Fraser; HoF seems an expensive version of Debs and neither ever seems to stock anything clotheswise in my size and lots of household tat that I don't need and haven't got space for so what's the point?
dandarez said:
My thoughts?
History tells us...
Great Mills,
then morphs into Focus,
then morphs into Focus DIY...
then morphs into B&Q
Got to be B&Q surely?
Does Kingfisher Group really need Screwfix 'and' B&Q?
Our local store is open 7 days a week and most times I go in I come out empty handed and it has more staff than customers.
It's online site is beyond hopeless. Masses of items listed, hardly any stocked.
Abysmal store to what it used to be.
No way will it be B&q, yes it’s over priced and everything they sell if woeful but that’s what the masses like, ask most people in the steeet where they get their paint from and it will be b&q. Hardly anyone would say dulux decorating centre.History tells us...
Great Mills,
then morphs into Focus,
then morphs into Focus DIY...
then morphs into B&Q
Got to be B&Q surely?
Does Kingfisher Group really need Screwfix 'and' B&Q?
Our local store is open 7 days a week and most times I go in I come out empty handed and it has more staff than customers.
It's online site is beyond hopeless. Masses of items listed, hardly any stocked.
Abysmal store to what it used to be.
Screwfix don’t stock anything like the range of paint that B&q do. Nor tiles, they are more trade than retail, I avoid both, toolstation does most things that Screwfix does but cheaper.
dandarez said:
My thoughts?
History tells us...
Great Mills,
then morphs into Focus,
then morphs into Focus DIY...
then morphs into B&Q
Got to be B&Q surely?
Does Kingfisher Group really need Screwfix 'and' B&Q?
Our local store is open 7 days a week and most times I go in I come out empty handed and it has more staff than customers.
It's online site is beyond hopeless. Masses of items listed, hardly any stocked.
Abysmal store to what it used to be.
No very much doubt it,always quite a few in ours,agree about the website though-abysmal.History tells us...
Great Mills,
then morphs into Focus,
then morphs into Focus DIY...
then morphs into B&Q
Got to be B&Q surely?
Does Kingfisher Group really need Screwfix 'and' B&Q?
Our local store is open 7 days a week and most times I go in I come out empty handed and it has more staff than customers.
It's online site is beyond hopeless. Masses of items listed, hardly any stocked.
Abysmal store to what it used to be.
Bring back Texas I say.
Some of these Starbucks places in nowheresville have got to go pop eventually as well, are they franchises?
One opened next to a petrol station near me and every time we use the petrol station the Starbucks is dead, I'd be amazed if they make enough to cover their running costs!
The drive thru one next to Deepdale in Preston always seems empty as well.
One opened next to a petrol station near me and every time we use the petrol station the Starbucks is dead, I'd be amazed if they make enough to cover their running costs!
The drive thru one next to Deepdale in Preston always seems empty as well.
Oakey said:
Some of these Starbucks places in nowheresville have got to go pop eventually as well, are they franchises?
One opened next to a petrol station near me and every time we use the petrol station the Starbucks is dead, I'd be amazed if they make enough to cover their running costs!
The drive thru one next to Deepdale in Preston always seems empty as well.
In an ideal world, Costa and their terrible coffee would be the first to fall. Can't see it happening any time soon though!One opened next to a petrol station near me and every time we use the petrol station the Starbucks is dead, I'd be amazed if they make enough to cover their running costs!
The drive thru one next to Deepdale in Preston always seems empty as well.
Funkycoldribena said:
dandarez said:
My thoughts?
History tells us...
Great Mills,
then morphs into Focus,
then morphs into Focus DIY...
then morphs into B&Q
Got to be B&Q surely?
Does Kingfisher Group really need Screwfix 'and' B&Q?
Our local store is open 7 days a week and most times I go in I come out empty handed and it has more staff than customers.
It's online site is beyond hopeless. Masses of items listed, hardly any stocked.
Abysmal store to what it used to be.
No very much doubt it,always quite a few in ours,agree about the website though-abysmal.History tells us...
Great Mills,
then morphs into Focus,
then morphs into Focus DIY...
then morphs into B&Q
Got to be B&Q surely?
Does Kingfisher Group really need Screwfix 'and' B&Q?
Our local store is open 7 days a week and most times I go in I come out empty handed and it has more staff than customers.
It's online site is beyond hopeless. Masses of items listed, hardly any stocked.
Abysmal store to what it used to be.
Bring back Texas I say.
But how it makes a profit is beyond reasoning. The website is almost completely unusable, and actually finding anything in-store is almost impossible. The stocking and shelving are just in total chaos.
Jonny_ said:
Oakey said:
Some of these Starbucks places in nowheresville have got to go pop eventually as well, are they franchises?
One opened next to a petrol station near me and every time we use the petrol station the Starbucks is dead, I'd be amazed if they make enough to cover their running costs!
The drive thru one next to Deepdale in Preston always seems empty as well.
In an ideal world, Costa and their terrible coffee would be the first to fall. Can't see it happening any time soon though!One opened next to a petrol station near me and every time we use the petrol station the Starbucks is dead, I'd be amazed if they make enough to cover their running costs!
The drive thru one next to Deepdale in Preston always seems empty as well.
Robertj21a said:
Jonny_ said:
Oakey said:
Some of these Starbucks places in nowheresville have got to go pop eventually as well, are they franchises?
One opened next to a petrol station near me and every time we use the petrol station the Starbucks is dead, I'd be amazed if they make enough to cover their running costs!
The drive thru one next to Deepdale in Preston always seems empty as well.
In an ideal world, Costa and their terrible coffee would be the first to fall. Can't see it happening any time soon though!One opened next to a petrol station near me and every time we use the petrol station the Starbucks is dead, I'd be amazed if they make enough to cover their running costs!
The drive thru one next to Deepdale in Preston always seems empty as well.
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