When did you buy the pet shop?

We purchased the business in November 2010. It was an established but very traditional pet shop that relied heavily on the sale of mainstream brands and animals.

What state was it in when you took it over?

The condition of the shop was very poor. It was only 220sq feet in size and had no storage available. There had been very limited financial investment over the 30 years it had been open. We discovered that many of the products being sold were either out of date, badly damaged or were infested with insects.The business had also earned a bad reputation locally due to the cramped conditions in which animals were being housed, and the general untidiness of its presentation to customers.

How did you set about reversing its fortunes?

Despite the condition and reputation of the shop, we could see real potential in the business. It was clear to us that the town could benefit from a well ran shop that offered better quality products, exceptional customer service and put animal welfare above profits. We made an immediate decision to stop selling pets, in order to change the image and focus of the business. The interior and exterior were decorated, with new lighting fitted and new external signage erected to ensure anyone passing on the high street would see it had changed ownership. We also rearranged the internal layout to better present our products and allow people to move more freely inside the shop.

What have you changed over time?

Over a two year period we gradually removed all mainstream and supermarket brands and replaced these with high quality pet foods, treats and accessories from predominantly UK based companies. We have strong ethics and principles, and will delist products without hesitation if manufacturers or suppliers go back on their promises, deliver poor service or reduce the quality of their products.

Has it been a long road?

Absolutely! We spent five years in our original premises and throughout that time faced significant challenges with having no available storage, unreasonable landlords and shaking off the negative image of the business in the town. It is only since moving from the high street to Frodsham Railway Station in September 2015 that we have been able to operate our business in a way that makes us truly proud of what we have to offer.



What made you choose Frodsham Railway Station when you relocated?
We chose the station because there was simply no other alternative available. We'd been searching for six months in and around the town without success as our lease was coming to an end, and renewing this in our old premises was not an option. We even contemplated closing the business down if we couldn't find somewhere. But as soon as we viewed the vacant Stationmasters House we could see it had great potential for us to offer a completely different retail experience. What swung it was Network Rail's tenancy agreement; their terms are much more flexible than most archaic commercial leases that are written in favour of protecting the landlord's interests.

Was there a retail unit there before you moved in?
The building had been fully renovated by Network Rail only a few years ago and had been home to around three businesses before we came along.  Being new/startup businesess they struggled to make the location work for them and didn't last longer than a few months each. As an established business, for us it was a no brainer - we had a loyal customer base from our previous shop and we were confident they would follow us wherever we moved to in the town.

Is it a busy station on a main line?
Frodsham Railway Station is a local stop located on the main line between Manchester and Chester. It gets busy at the start and end of each day with commuters, but is much quieter during the daytime and at weekends.

Do you get lots of rail passengers coming into your shop?
We frequently get a few people coming in to have a look around whilst waiting for their train. Many comment positively on the layout and appearance of our premises, but we have a few that cannot help but remark on it being a strange location for a pet shop! As a lot of commuters travel from other towns to take advantage of the free parking in Frodsham, they are unaware of what we offer and how we operate. We intend to remedy this by erecting some temporary banners up on the external walls to raise awareness of our award to people passing through the station.

What sets you apart from the rest?

The independent pet trade is constantly evolving, and we try and stay on top of this – for example by being innovative in the products we source and the way we display them. When we moved premises we completely changed the look and feel of our shop as we wanted to create an exciting and different retail experience for our customers. Many of our ideas, designs and initiatives are now being adopted in other pet shops in the area.

What’s the secret of your success?

We don’t believe there are any secrets to success. A lot of it is just common sense and ensuring you maximise the potential of your business by understanding your market and customers. Not everything works in every location, and you cannot simply copy what another business does and expect it to work where you are. It’s about finding what does work well for you and developing your business around it. You have to be willing to try new things and accept that not everything you do will be successful.

What advice would you give someone with an ailing pet business?

We've visited lots of independent pet shops over the years and the majority that are in decline offer zero point of difference for customers. Many are still trying to survive by competing in an endless price war with discounters, who will ultimately win each and every time. If your business is struggling to stay afloat, be brave and make a step change in what you do and how you do it. Speak to other successful independents for ideas - they are not your enemy - the enemy are the large pet chains, supermarkets and online retailers, and the big corporates who are supplying them with the same products you sell but at massively discounted prices. Getting involved with community-focused events such as sponsoring local dog walks, and teaming up with other independent retailers to promote town-wide initiatives can help to indirectly promote your business and increase sales. Being open, honest and transparent in how you operate is really important as people favour businesses with strong ethics and principles and are more likely to remain loyal to them. We recommend shops ask themselves why they sell what they sell... we asked ourselves that very question years ago and have never looked back. Remember: the most dangerous words in retail are “we’ve always done it that way”.

What does the award mean to you?

We entered the PetQuip awards in 2016 and won “Highly Commended” which we were delighted with. We decided not to enter this year but were genuinely surprised to hear that some of our suppliers had recommended us for the award; this was a real honour for us and meant a great deal to us personally. We are incredibly proud to have won Gold in the category in 2017 against some serious competition from other long-established and innovative businesses across the UK.