Appetite for a 鈥渘ew retail experience鈥 has been whet by 15-17, the fledgling concession operator opening up in discarded department stores.
The Scottish entity, launched less than a year ago, is preparing to open second and third ventures after debuting in Ayr, with a first in England in a closing House of Fraser store in Grimsby town centre.
Familiar brands, new names and space for events and entertainment form plans now being brought forward.
And it will be supported by up to 25 of the existing staff, as 15-17 aims to 鈥渆mbrace and retain鈥 some of the current workforce.
As revealed in January, the 64,000 sq ft of trading space currently being wound down by Mike Ashley鈥檚 departing 2018 acquisition will be sub-let to several brands from April or May.
By then Kirkcaldy will have followed Ayr鈥檚 launch, in buildings once proud Debenhams and BHS stores.
Linsey McIlwraith, 海角视频 head of store operations, said: 鈥淎cross the 海角视频, with the demise of the high street there is a need for businesses like 15-17 to come in to empty buildings with a significant amount of space.
鈥淪eeing department stores close is so sad, this (Grimsby) has served the town for more than 100 years. 15-17 looks at store closures as an opportunity to reinvigorate the high street, bring in a transformation and a new shopping experience and sense of community, an element that has been lost over a period of time.
鈥淚t isn鈥檛 just retail, it is live events, real community involvement and we鈥檙e already making contacts, we want to be something for everybody, a destination that will have a longer dwell time.
鈥淲e will have great brands on board, there will be some familiar brands and we will be introducing some we already work with in Ayr.鈥
Bedding specialist Belledorm and Sockshop are both hopping over Hadrian鈥檚 Wall with 15-17, with health and beauty brand Aveda also heading south.
It is understood Caffe Nero and Dune could also be close to agreeing to stay in Grimsby 鈥 both traded in sub-let space 鈥 with Mrs McIlwraith confirming it is 鈥済oing to retain cafe and restaurant operations鈥.聽
鈥淲e will retain as many of the businesses as we can,鈥 she said.
And in a huge boost for a workforce that has dealt with uncertainty stretching over the past few years, the fledgling team is aiming to keep as many as they can.
鈥淭here are a lot of good people in this building and we would like to embrace and retain them,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to put an exact number on it, but we will have a need for somewhere in the region of 25 staff. Then there are the brands we work with, who also employ their own people, so that could easily be another 10 to 15.鈥
House of Fraser, which enjoys a long-running facade along the pedestrianised Victoria Street and two entrances into Freshney Place, had been set to close a year ago, when then owner C-Banner entered into a CVA restructure, but a brief reprieve saw it saved from the immediate axe when Mr Ashley鈥檚 Sports Direct swooped to add the high street chain to the rapidly-expanded retail empire.
The private landlord called time on a period of 鈥榝ree鈥 trading in December, serving notice to close on March 1, with 15-17 waiting in the wings.
鈥淭alking to customers, every single person said Grimsby needs this, and they are so excited about us opening 鈥 it is really encouraging for us,鈥 Mrs McIlwraith said, with the enthusiasm to bring a fresh new vibe to town centre retail clear.
鈥淓ven talking in our hotel foyer, the women working there were excited we are here,鈥 she said, as part of a hectic two day visit sandwiched around advanced work to open the second store, just north of Edinburgh.
Latest Grimsby reads:
From a 鈥渃abinet space鈥 to 2,500 sq ft of prime town centre shop floor, options are there to be explored, with 35 different partners are on-board in Ayr, with the largest 鈥 a lighting company 鈥 at the maximum.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 want one entity to take an entire floor, so it takes over and becomes the one thing,鈥 Mrs McIlwraith said.
The company provides marketing, merchandise and general support, with cleaning and security part of the offer. 鈥淲e aim to retain all our partners for a long period of time,鈥 she said of the model emerging.
鈥淲e are very aware we have to develop a store for a particular town. We鈥檒l have continuity across the business, but we have to incorporate what people want to see for that site.鈥
A budget has been set for investment, but it is being kept close to her chest, as are major names 15-17 is now in advanced talks with.
On the infrastructure, Mrs McIlwraith said: 鈥淚t is a big, big site, 64,000 sq ft of trading area, but we鈥檝e gone in to Ayr which is 42,000 sq ft.聽 We are bringing revival to the high street, and the feed back we get is that people are just so glad to see a place stay open, so they have somewhere to go.
鈥淚 worked for an independent retailer which closed after a long period of time. This opportunity presented itself to me and I find it really refreshing.鈥
On the money being pumped in, she said: 鈥淲e have to be realistic. We know when these stores close, it is more uncertainty, and there are also things we haven鈥檛 anticipated that we have to work with as and when they develop.
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鈥淲e facilitate the business, when it comes to shopfitting we are going to be left with quite a lot of stuff, but would encourage people to fit the areas out bespoke to them.鈥澛
Still in its infancy, it has attracted some negative headlines north of the border, with some staff paid late before Christmas.
鈥15-17 is new, it was only formed in February last year, becoming operational in August 鈥 that鈥檚 just six months of operations,鈥 Mrs McIlwraith said. 鈥淲e have had a very steep learning curve, we know how to do things better, and we know what to repeat. With any new business there is always ongoing evolution within our journey, and that is something we will constantly evaluate.
鈥淓very company comes into issues. One of the main issues with Ayr was that the building had been shut for three and a half years. When it became operational again problems that threatened safety within the building were identified and they had the be dealt with first, or we simply could not trade.鈥
For Euan Ruddick, who is working with 15-17 as a creative design and marketing consultant, it is important to tap into the area鈥檚 well documented entrepreneurial spirit too, as national brands rub shoulders with local start-ups.
鈥淭here will be familiar brands, and we aim to be creating some new ones as well,鈥 he said. 鈥淵oung businesses out there manufacturing, who want to go out there but can鈥檛 afford to open up a shop on their own. They can be part of this, make it different, while upholding the quality.
鈥淚t (Grimsby) is a great town, people are so well grounded, and are really aware of the opportunities retail can offer. It is not the people of Grimsby鈥檚 fault what has happened on the high street, these issues are created by businessmen who have invested, and often invested too much.
鈥淲e invest in people ad we鈥檒l, and allow them to shine. If they can shine, they make money, everyone appreciates it and it all goes well for everybody. I think this area is perfect for it.鈥
More perfect fits are now being sought in new locations, with the team conscious they have got to walk before they can run.
