Despite being faced with massive rent rises and competition from a Pets at Home store two miles away, independent Primrose Hill Pets in central London has continued to thrive.

Owner Gail Levy reveals how her pet store remains a success even in the toughest of economic times.

"I opened this shop 21 years ago and despite massive rent increases from the original £8,500 a year to £40,000 we are still thriving," Gail told Pet Trade Xtra.

So how did it all start?
I owned and showed Dalmatians and knew what products were available from dogs shows. I saw a gap in the market for a quality pet accessory shop and grooming salon in central London where customers could obtain helpful advice and well sourced products from Europe and the USA. I think we set a trend as many other similar pet accessory shops copied and opened in London – some of which have since closed. I was experienced in retail and wholesale and I located premises near a park with a busy passing trade. I made some minor errors in the early years in regard to stock selection but learned quickly. We  listened to our customers as to their needs and we were able to offer better quality products. 

Who works in the shop?
We are open seven days per week 362 days per year and have two full time staff, two part time and myself in the shop and a groomer who has worked for us for 15 years with his assistant. Our groomer is the 'Dr DoLittle of the Grooming World', as not only does he groom to a high standard, the dogs and cats completely relax with him. We have clients travelling from long distances to have their pets groomed.

Have you got regular customers who have been coming to your shop for years?
About 50% of our customers are regular customers and being in business for 21 years some of them are on their second or third pets from when we opened. We have customers who come back to us from all over the UK because of the products we offer and also overseas customers who always visit on their trips to London. 

We keep our regulars happy by listening to them and understanding their needs. We keep the products they want, we offer advice when they want it, and every dog that comes into our shop – and many come in daily – get a free treat. Our staff are friendly and talk to the customers and we make their visit to our shop a pleasurable experience. We are happy to give advice on how to obtain a pet and will advise against a sale if we think it is not suitable.

In regard to attracting new customers I may not be that pro-active. Our new customers come from personal recommendations. I realise there is a world of twitter, facebook etc. and we do participate in that in a small way but that's not our main customer base.

Are there any pet superstores nearby, and if so, how do you keep your regulars?
A Pets At Home store opened about two miles away and it has not made any difference to our trade. Our customers want a personal service and the type of merchandise that we sell. We can stock just one or two of an item that a customer might require but it will never be volume sales, but that customer will remember and come back. We can also order through our wholesaler single items for a customer. New customers often come in and comment on how nice it is to shop in our premises, with different but useful merchandise, well displayed.

What makes a successful independent pet store?
A successful independent pet store is dependent on mainly two things – suppliers and customers. My suppliers are very valued and I have traded with them for many years. They offer me decent discounts on goods and I pay them on time and if settlement terms are available then I will pay in seven to 10 days. Vital are my wholesaler and they offer an excellent service – we have two deliveries per week. We have some direct accounts with suppliers who are loyal to us and offer us any additional discounts which are available.  As I used to own an import business supplying Harrods and other major retailers, I have accounts with overseas companies which offer quality products with good margins. Overseas companies are much more realistic about the margins which are needed for a retailer. There are many good products produced in the UK but when you enquire about trade terms they are completely unrealistic about margins. It is the retailer which sells products – internet companies pick up after the retailer has imparted knowledge to the customer and for the retailer to compete then they have to be offered realistic trade terms. There is no point in buying a product which does not make money. Retailers have very high overheads and to purchase product which does not give a realistic return makes no sense at all.   

What are your strengths?
Our strength is our stock selection. I am the buyer and spend a good deal of time looking at merchandise from the UK and abroad and this appreciated by the customer who has confidence in what we sell. Our helpful staff are another strength because they create a good atmosphere as most people wish to talk about their pet. We will never compete on price with internet companies so we have to look for products which are not readily available on line – this is not usually a problem as our merchandise is of high quality. We can also offer to special order a single item for a customer in most cases.

How have you managed to absorb the rent rises?
We have absorbed our very high rent increases by looking at our stocks. If one of our suppliers is offering a  discount then I purchase in depth. We do not offer discounted prices to the customer, they do not expect it. The customer who wants a bargain does not go into a retail shop.

What are the secrets of your success?
I believe the secret of our success is selling what we believe in and what the customer needs. Also very important is having a very good working relationship with our suppliers and being confident in the product that we sell. We would never sell a product or a food which we would not use ourselves on our own animals.

The positive side of the pet trade is that it is not a fashion trade – bestselling items are the same year in and out. Pet food has improved over the years, as have pet treats, and people are much more aware of what they are feeding their pets. We mainly sell dog and cat accessories, but offer basic essentials for wild birds, cage birds, and small animals. We recommend a local shop for the purchase of small animals and also make recommendations as to how to purchase a dog or cat and give helpful advice on breeds which are suitable for the person’s lifestyle.

Do you own pets yourself?
I have Dalmatian dogs and my staff have both dogs and cats. We also support local charities and I am a trustee of British Dalmatian Welfare.

Visit the Primrose Hill Pets website primrosehillpets.co.uk



Pictured: Simona Allen, Gemma Capper and Gail Levy.