6 minute read
Retailers’ Panel Eight independent retailers share
With two big gifting opportunities on the horizon, we ask retailers: how is trading for you, and what products do you predict will do well for Father’s Day and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee?
Photos: Clive Rose
Head of Marketing and Home, Gift and Toy Buyer
Yarnton Home & Garden, Yarnton, Oxfordshire
With the sun shining, we are expecting Father’s Day to be all about outdoor cooking and living. We have some fantastic Weber Smokey Joes BBQs and Tubby Tom’s BBQs rubs in stock and ready. On the smaller gift side, we have some fantastic Swole Panda recycled woven belts [each made from seven plastic bottles]. We love their bright colours.
With the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee fast approaching, we are getting very excited. The word on the street says that the plan for a lot of our surrounding villages is a good old-fashioned street party - so we have made sure we are fully stocked with Union Jack bunting from Powell Crafts and everything required for a brilliant Jubilee tea party from Talking Tables. Pimm’s Jam anyone?
Chris Beards
Owner, Mantons Gifts & Cards Port Erin, Isle of Man
The good news is that another lockdown seems unlikely, but the bad news is the amount of people going out as little as possible to try and avoid catching Covid, and people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis. I think the next 12-24 months could be the most difficult ever for many businesses, especially non-essential retailers.
We aren’t stocking anything new for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee but we are hoping that people will still treat dad to a gift this year. We have a large selection of men’s gifts covering lots of interests including sport, gardening, and drinking. Our main concern this year is if we will sell as many of the high-end gifts, due to the economic situation.
Photo: Eddie Judd Photography
Claire Leigh
Director, Two Ducks
Woking , Surrey
For Father’s Day, we think our new men’s bracelets from Pig & Hen [a brand producing handmade bracelets in Amsterdam] will do well. It’s a new brand for us with a variety of price points and styles to suit all. Our Orbitkey gifts and Secrid wallets continue to do well all year round but particularly for Father’s Day. And we tend to bring in deli food such as chutneys, pickles and marmalades, as these are always popular for this occasion.
For the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, we have just brought in a beautiful commemorative line from British brand Victoria Eggs, which includes tea towels, mugs, coasters, tins of biscuits and tea. We know lots of people may do the more traditional bunting, so we’ve avoided buying this in.
Julie Hunt
Danielle Kearney & Catherine Kearney
The Gift Box, Derry, Northern Ireland
Trading has been generally good since we reopened after the lockdown. It has improved but it’s beginning to become quiet again.
We don’t stock for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee but for Father’s Day we will do well with our Best Daddy in Derry range. We have our own sayings in Derry, so we got DTP Southfield to do a range of bespoke mugs, tea towels, aprons and mugs for us. The sayings include: ‘What’s The Craic?’ (meaning ‘what’s happening?’), ‘I’m All Lured For Ye’ (meaning ‘I’m delighted for you’), and ‘Do You Think I Came Up The Foyle In A Bubble?’ (meaning ‘do you think I’m stupid?’ - the Foyle being a river in Derry).
Erica Coombes
Buying, Events & Experience Manager
Denby Pottery Village, Denby, Derbyshire
Father’s Day is never a big uptake for us, but the gifts we will have include men’s leather weekend bags from Rowalan, Captain Fawcett men’s grooming products, Star Wars 4D puzzles from University Games, Complete E Murder Mystery in Paris from Lagoon Games, Peaky Blinders gift sets from GB eye, Widdop & Bingham Military Heritage Co., and our best seller: socks!
We are doing a feature window to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The window will be in a red, white and blue street party theme with bunting. Denby’s Made in England product will be the main focus. And our Bistro & Coffee Shop will serve a special Platinum Jubilee Afternoon Tea.
Queen’s Platinum Jubilee”
Owner, The Beach Hut Eastbourne, East Sussex
We are a very seasonal business and have recently noticed a rise in footfall as visitors start to arrive again to the seaside town of Eastbourne.
We have just received a range of Platinum Jubilee-inspired merchandise, which is already selling out. The products include souvenir fridge magnets, keyrings, boxed mugs, teddy bears, tea towels, tote bags and flags and bunting - all from Elgate Products. Plus, souvenir coins, pin badges and spoons from Tradition Giftware.
We always stock a range of ‘dad’ related gifts. Examples are Best Dad mugs, keyrings. bottle openers, coasters, pens, bamboo socks, and wallets - sourced mainly from History & Heraldry.
Suzanne Chapman
Owner, Much Love Gifting
https://muchlovegifting.co.uk
The last couple of years have been tough for everyone and I think it’s really important to remember that. Sometimes it’s hard when you work alone, at home, to remember that there’s an entire world starting to wake up again and that many people are in the same boat.
Things were really picking up at the tail end of last year, but I feel the increases in fuel costs - both at home and on the road - have made people a little more cautious about their personal spend.
I expect our range of Mr. Perfect soaps and body wash from The Somerset Toiletry Co. will work well for Father’s Day, along with The Hardware Store range of novelty DIY products from CGB Giftware. We have seven products available from the range, including a 6-In-1 Multi Tool, Screwdriver Bottle Opener and LED Looped Torch Tool. Our cork travel boards from Xystos are perfect gifts for dads and we offer both the small travel sizes as well as the large option.
We are not listing anything specifically for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Susi Mason
Owner, Casa Fina Salisbury, Wiltshire
We are selling lots of lamps and shades at the moment. People are bringing their bases into us to find a new look for their homes.
Vintage port and whisky glasses are always great for Father’s Day. For the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, we’re stocking Bridgewater commemorative mugs, but I would say our vintage style Union Jack bunting will be our best seller in June. Photo: Christopher Ison
