Independent Thinking - Exploring a new era for retail and the high street

This week, as we continue to look at partnerships in small business - we’re chatting to Jo and Georgina from Edinburgh-based interior designer company - Jeffrey’s Interiors, who have recently completed a management buyout from the original owners, Jeff and Alison.

It’s not something we’ve discussed a great deal on the show so far - what happens when owners decide to retire, or move on to other projects; how do owners plan for their future of their business? 

Both Georgina and Jo, Managing Director and Design Director respectively, have grown up with the business in many ways , both starting out as Design Assistants with the company, and they share their journeys with us - not only about with their love of interior design and how they found themselves in this line of work, but their journey in the business itself. 

They talk about the beauty of a business partnership when it works well, and what they bring to the table - and why knowing what animal you are, can help communication immensely....

We also talk immersive retail experiences, what scent can add to a room (and to a showroom), and how lockdown has shaped our relationships with our homes. Enjoy!   

https://www.jeffreys-interiors.co.uk/

Here's the book that Georgina mentions in the episode: https://www.nigelrisner.com/product-page/it-s-a-zoo-around-here 

Support the show

The department store has, in many ways, had one of the most tumultuous journeys of all, of those on the High Street. Whilst some key players in the sector are seeking to innovate and fast -  in terms of new ranges, refurbishments of key sites, and investment in new services as they seek to make their stores real destinations for customers - the fact remains, we have seen huge numbers of store closures this year.

For many, the department store’s fall from grace has come to symbolise all that is ‘wrong’ with traditional, bricks and mortar retail. Disconnected with their customer base, lack of investment in the look and feel of shopping in store, uninspiring product, lack of innovation in online offer - whilst these were already problems for companies like Debenhams, the ongoing pandemic certainly accelerated the effects. 

But companies like Debenhams, John Lewis and Frasers have historically occupied truly *enormous* spaces on our High Streets for decades; they are cornerstones of shopping centres. And some of the buildings they occupy are beautiful, important culturally to their towns, and are amongst the most iconic buildings in this country. 

So what’s going to happen to them now? How do we preserve these buildings for future generations? And how do we stop them falling into disrepair and neglect, like many of the companies that once occupied them? 

We’ll be exploring this and lots more with Catherine and Coco from Twentieth Century Society today.  We discuss potential new uses for these beautiful buildings, why it’s important we protect them, and how you can get involved in their efforts to save these buildings that are at the heart of our town centres. Enjoy!

If you liked this episode - I highly recommend episode 1 and 6 of series 2, with Midsteeple Quarter and Dr Sarah Montano respectively, as we discuss potential uses for empty spaces on our high streets.

Find out more here:  https://c20society.org.uk/campaigns/department-stores 

Support the show

This week, as we explore other stories from our evolving high street, we're chatting all things charity shops. 

We all know the pressures that non-essential retail has been under this past year, but what about the impact on a sector who rely on retail income to support those are living with long term health conditions? Who are supporting and working with the NHS during one of the most testing times in its history? 

How has charity retail been impacted by this year, and by changes to our high streets? 

To explore this, I’m delighted to be joined by Lawrence Cowan and Carole Edmonds from Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland. 

They are Scotland’s health charity supporting people and their families across the country who have chest, heart and stroke conditions to make sure everyone lives as full a life as possible. And their cause is even more pertinent this past year. 

They also have some of the quirkiest and most fun charity shops on the high street. 

We chat to Lawrence and Carole, their Director of Fundraising and Head of Retail field operations respectively to chat about the wonder of finding a bargain and giving your old clothing a new lease of life, how important charity shops are to our communities and how they incorporate a neighbourhood's stories into each boutique.

Enjoy! 

https://www.chss.org.uk/supportus/stores/

Support the show

Welcome back! As we explore more partnerships in business, today I’m joined by another husband and wife team - Jill and Steve from Meander. 

Meander is a sustainable clothing brand, passionate about making outdoor clothing more accessible, appealing and wearable - clothing that looks just at home in the city as it does on the hillside. They both have a love for adventure, and so, after embarking on a mammoth charity cycle ride from London to Paris, they started a company after realising that there was a gap in the market for a cycling jacket that not only practical but something you actually wanted to wear. 

From there, they’ve gone on to develop a whole product range, had a pop up at Space at Seventeen (and check out our episode with Jess from there  - Series 1, episode 10  to find out more)  and recently opened a permanent space on Edinburgh’s George Street. 

We talk about bringing a product to market, what challenges can come with wanting to work more ethically,  creating a vibrant community for your customers, and why there’s never been a better time to explore the great outdoors. It was so lovely to chat to them both - You can tell how much they both love what they do and how passionate they are about wanting everyone to experience the beauty of Scotland’s countryside! Enjoy! 

Meander: https://meanderapparel.com/ 

Support the show

Hello and welcome back to Independent Thinking. Thank you so much for your comments about our first episodes of the series so far, they both seem to really have resonated with you, which is what we’re all about! 

This week, we continue our exploration of partnerships in business with Aeble, Scotland’s first and only cider shop brought to you by husband and wife team Grant and Jaye Hutchison. 

Many of you will know Grant from his days as drummer with the band Frightened Rabbit, but might be less aware of this love for cider. Together with his wife, who has worked extensively in the world of art and set design, they have opened Aeble, in Anstruther in the East Neuk in Fife to  showcase and celebrate indie cider producers from around the world. We talk about big life changes, moving out of the city, the power of collaboration and how far cider has come. 

Regardless of whether you’re a cider lover or not, prepare to be won over and inspired, in this story of following your passion and taking the leap. Enjoy!

https://www.aeble.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/aeble_cidershop/

If this has whet your appetite for chatting all things cider, you'll love Grant's podcast: https://www.neutralciderhotel.com/

Support the show

Today, I am delighted to be joined by a business who has been name checked a number of times in our past series - Nadia and Stevie from Century General Store. The past year has been a time of significant change for them, not least in them choosing to close their bricks and mortar site in Abbeyhill, Edinburgh, (which is now operated by Common Coffee) - but also in their voice becoming central in discussions around social justice, tackling inequity and inequality and in championing kindness and care at times of great upheaval. 

We talk to Nadia and Stevie about the evolution of their business, we reflect on the tumultuous past year and talk more about how they put honesty and compassion at the centre of their business. I found them both such gentle, positive energies to be around - definitely one to hunker down with a mug of tea with. Enjoy!

https://www.centurygeneralstore.com/

Support the show

This week’s guest is the wonderful Flora Shedden. Many of you will know her from appearing on Great British Bake Off back in 2015, but she is now the proud owner of ARAN bakery and LON store in the village of Dunkeld, in rural Perthshire. ARAN and LON, founded in 2017 and 2020 respectively have both become a real draw for food-lovers to the village -  with their array of artisan breads, beautiful jars and tins with tastes from far-flung destinations, as well as groceries, homewares and flowers - but getting both ventures up and running were not without their challenges. 

We were so delighted to speak to Flora about the evolution of Aran, Instagram vs reality and the future of rural high streets (as well as a cameo from Sorrel, her beautiful dog). Enjoy! 

https://www.aran-bakery.com/
https://www.lon-store.co.uk/lon

Support the show

Now feels like a good time to gain a little perspective and think about what’s happening in retail and on our high streets in more depth; help us understand why we are where we are, what our high streets could look like in the future and what trends we can expect to emerge.

And who better to do this with than Dr Sarah Montano, Senior Lecturer in Marketing at University of Birmingham who has written extensively around this area. In a recent piece, she proposes that to emerge successfully in 2021, the UK high street needs to focus on blending physical and digital, creating 'Phygital' spaces, increasing consumer confidence, and for government to understand more deeply what we, as consumers need, and the constraints that we are likely to face in future. We unpack all this and more in today’s fascinating episode - enjoy!

This is the last episode of our current series, but fear not - we'll be back in May! 

Read Dr Montano's piece in full here: 
https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/thebirminghambrief/items/2021/jan/what-does-the-high-street-need-for-a-successful-2021.aspx 

Support the show

Today, I’m delighted to be joined by Annie Marrs, Lead Officer at UNESCO City of Design Dundee. 

In recent years, Dundee has undergone a huge amount of change, driven by design - from new public realm and waterfront development to the opening of a world-class facility with V&A Dundee, dedicated to celebrating innovative approaches to design. 

But how could the city’s approach to design impact their city centre, local high streets, and the way people in the city shop, work and live?

We chat to Annie about Dundee’s creative, independent spirit; how good quality, collaborative design should be at the heart of our response to tackling the problems faced on our high streets, and we look ahead, as Dundee begins shaping their 30 year strategy for the city centre. 

Enjoy!  

Support the show

In all this talk about numbers of job losses on the high street right now, it’s very easy to forget that these are people’s livelihoods, careers and pay packets we’re talking about. The situation is made all the crueller when people won’t be able to say goodbye to their stores that they may have worked at for years, or share one last tea break with a colleague who’s kept them company on the till or in the stockroom. 

And so for this episode, as we continue to explore community in our high streets - we wanted to focus on staff and more importantly, celebrate those who are putting their staff first. So today; we’re talking to husband and wife duo Bridget and Murray from Edinburgh hairdressers, Stag - who really live and breathe that philosophy.

We chat about why morale is so important to them and their team, the role of hairdressers in how we feel about ourselves and their innovative ways they thought up to keep their customers and staff engaged when we all needed a smile on our faces (haircut at 3am anyone?!) 

Enjoy! 

Support the show