Back in the family in Walsall
More than 30 years after selling their business to focus on other projects, the Singh family in Walsall has returned to their roots and opened a new store in their original property.
The 2,500 sq.ft. shop was operated by Pal Singh’s father for four years from 1982, but in 1986 he sold the business to fellow retailers, retaining ownership for the premises but moving on to new ventures.
When the retailers running the store on Dartmouth Avenue, Coalpool, recently announced their plans to retire, Pal and his family jumped at the chance to return the shop to the heart of the family.
“We thought as a family that it would be a great store to have back and so we bought the business and have converted it to a new Nisa,” said Pal.
The store was tired and in need of extensive work to bring it back up to date and so the family worked with the format and development team at Nisa team to modernise it.
“It has had a complete re-fit and we shut the shop down for two weeks to allow us to do it. Nothing had been done to the property since my father sold the business – even the shelves were the exact same ones that he left in 1986,” explained Pal.
LED strip lighting has been fitted throughout the shop and new, economical chillers installed along with the latest Nisa Evolution EPOS system, new flooring and the Nisa Evolution fascia, making the shop almost unrecognisable.
Pal said: “We have really gone to town on it and the customers seem to love what we have done.
“The availability and the variety of products in the store is really pleasing our shoppers as is the quality of the products – the customers are really happy.”
Pal has listed around 400 Co-op own label lines, using Nisa’s planograms to ensure the best products are on their shelves and sales are growing.
“Every week is better than the last week. We are two months in now and it’s going really well. We are winning customers back who had stopped coming in before we refurbished. It’s our job to keep our customers. The only reason they go somewhere else is if we are doing a poor job.”