Fast-moving Staffordshire retailer launches new store in days

A Staffordshire based retailer has launched his new store at super speed.

Just five weeks after enquiring about joining Nisa, Tarsem Singh is trading from a Nisa Local at Uttoxeter.

The symbol group said Singh, who also operates a forecourt store, contacted them in early November to explore the opportunity to move a new store he was buying to Nisa Retail.

Days later, meetings had already been undertaken with Nisa’s retail development manager for the area and store development team to discuss plans for the store.

Singh completed purchase of the former Spar on Ashbourne Road in the third week in November, and the fast-moving retailer undertook a stock take, installed Nisa’s Epositive Evolution system and trained his staff on the software by the time he signed the paperwork.

The same day he also brought in merchandisers who spent four days re-laying the store to Nisa’s planograms, focusing on improving the fresh offer and the density of the range including the introduction of Co-op own brand across all categories.

Last week, having removed all the old Spar range, the latest Nisa promotions were set up in store and the fully re-branded Nisa Local opened its doors to the local community with a ribbon to the new shop cut by a member of the store team.

The store stopped trading for just three hours during the whole process, ensuring minimal disruption to shoppers.

Singh said: “The stock in the store had been really run down and it was almost empty, so we got a delivery from Nisa immediately and the first 700 cases didn’t even half fill the store.

“We now have a really good range of fresh and grocery and our customers are really happy with it. The local people who come in regularly said they haven’t seen the store looking like this for 30 years!

“We’re focusing now on getting the customers back through the doors, showing them what we have got to offer and ensuring they buy from us and keep coming back.”