RETAIL INTERVIEW
Mooch
Seven up! Gifts Today talks to Jon May, co-founder of the award-winning retailer Mooch Gifts & Home in Worcestershire, which has just celebrated its seventh birthday How did you feel when you heard the news that you had won the best instore/window display category of The Greats Gift Retailer Awards 2022? It was a huge shock when our name was called out! We are always extremely proud of our windows but the field of finalists was very strong, so we were happy just being shortlisted. We always aim to bring some London magic to our window displays, especially at Christmas. Our window lettering is handmade by us, with real garlands outside. So they really do set us apart on the high streets where we trade. What’s your background? I was a local food buyer at Asda, and prior to that worked in local food marketing for over 10 years. Why did you decide to open a gift shop? Following a holiday in Cornwall - and having those holiday blues - plus getting fed up with making other people money, [co-founder] Luke Jacks (pictured above right with Jon) and I decided to bring something different to our local high streets and thought: ‘Let’s open a shop!’ Tell us a bit about Mooch Gifts & Home. In June we celebrated seven years in business. We have two high street stores in Worcestershire: at Stourport on Severn and Bewdley. At Stourport we trade over three floors while Bewdley is tiny - on one floor - but trades extremely well. We also have a very successful online store (set up in 2015) which has seen a huge uplift in sales since the pandemic. 76 Gifts Today
Describe your range. It falls into three key areas: cards, gifts and home. We always look to work with British designers and makers where possible, and source products that offer something a bit different to our competitors. What are your key categories? Home fragrance, jewellery, ladies’ fashion, and nursery. Who are your key suppliers? We have traded with Transomnia since day one; their team is wonderful and their support has been amazing. We also trade with Gisela Graham, Rainbow Designs, Gibsons, Sweet William Designs, East of India, Quail Ceramics, Katie Loxton, Joma, Hot Tomato, INIS, and Moorland Pottery, to name a few! How do you find products? We tend to source from the major trade shows but have built up great relationships with reps over the years too. We attend some suppliers’ showrooms, and being judges for awards [the Gift of the Year and the Henries] is a great way to find new products as well. What’s your selection criteria? Quality, packaging, price, and suppliers’ trading terms. What’s proving popular? The seasonal ranges from Gisela Graham, particularly the Daisy & Bee Collection. And we recently introduced a range of wooden toys from House of Marbles that is doing well..
How is trading for you? People shopping locally, staycationing, and having more day trips, has certainly helped us maintain pre-Covid trading levels. How do you maintain the interest of existing customers and attract new ones? We find social media is key, especially with our online store. But many people find us through word of mouth - or they have heard we have won an award.
Top 5 Best Sellers 1. Gisela Graham eg Daisy & Bee Collection 2. St. Eval Candle Tins eg Bay & Rosemary 3. East of India Sentiment Hearts and wedding gifts 4. Quail Ceramics 5. Moorland Pottery bespoke Stourport & Bewdley mugs
