Retail Q&A: JBN Member Fitzgerald Jewellers on High Street Growth
12 May 2022
At this year’s JET Business Network (JBN) Retail Jewellers’ Congress, due to be held at the NAJ Summit on Monday, June 13, 2022, a panel of JBN members representing a trio of independent jewellers will explain why they’ve made significant investments in bricks and mortar in recent years.
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Despite the rise of vacant units, declining footfall, increased online competition and the international COVID-19 pandemic, Fitzgerald Jewellers in Canterbury opted to move into neighbouring premises four times larger than its previous home of 20 years in November 2021. Ahead of the Retail Jewellers’ Congress, we asked Olivia Stewart-Stead, manager at Fitzgerald Jewellers, to explain what’s changed for the business and what inspired the move to a bigger space.
Why did you decide now was the best time to invest in your store presence?
The premises we moved into was right next door to what had been our shop for 20 years. It was vacant for three years before we even entertained the idea of moving in there. One day, we were roped into looking at it and fell in love. To be frank, it couldn't have come at a worse time! There were so many unknowns during such an unprecedented time and so many people questioned whether it was the right time for us as a business. However, I'm delighted to say that we've really flourished.
What changes have been made to your presence in Canterbury?
The most obvious change is that we’re now situated in a shop four times the size of our original premises. We’d really outgrown the space that we’d been in for 20 years. We felt that we didn’t have the room to create the in-store experience that we wanted to give our customers. Now our customers can comfortably browse the shop without that feeling of being watched. As a result of this, we've seen a considerable increase in sales off the shelf. We have four seating areas, all of which have a different feel that suit different types of sales. We feel sitting a customer down is halfway to the sale being made.
What are your thoughts on the future of the High Street, especially with your recent experiences?
We are very confident about our product and our people. We don't think we can't improve by any means, but we've built a business that enables us to retain our audience - by becoming a family jeweller for every member of the family. We’d be naïve to say that we’re not a little worried about the long-term outlook of the High Street but from the point of view of our business, we’re going from strength to strength as we continue to break every record Fitzgerald Jewellers has ever had.
What would be your advice to other retailers who want to invest in their store presence?
My biggest piece of advice would be to prepare to spend more than you set out to spend. Sure, you can create incredible spaces with little money – we did just that back in 2017 when we revamped our original store. However, there will always be something unexpected. Whether that’s damp behind original wallpaper or a small idea that develops into something more expensive. Have a safety net of cash that you can dip into if you need it. It will take away that inevitable worry when the unexpected happens.
How was the process of transitioning your store and how disruptive was the process?
We were lucky enough to be trading up until a week before we moved. The move itself didn't come at a great time as it was the final week in November, just as Christmas sales are really ramping up. Luckily for us, this didn't stop our customers from buying and we saw the best Christmas for the last 10 years despite the closure.
Finally, what do you find are the benefits of being a JBN Member? How has the group helped you to stay connected to the trade?
The most beneficial thing about being a member of the JBN is that when you're feeling really lonely, when you've got a really unique problem, there's always another JBN member that's been through it before. They are the most supportive group of people who are there to help you whenever you need it. There were times through lockdown that I felt really out of the business and unsure of the future, but my group and especially Michael Donaldson raised me up and gave me the confidence I needed to open the shop with a bang.
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The NAJ Summit will take place from June 10-13, 2022.
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Source: National Association of Jewellers