Birmingham’s newest Go Local store opens for business

A new Birmingham convenience store has launched to become the third Go Local fascia store in the city. Having undergone a complete refit and structural improvements, the store is already proving a hit with customers and the local community.

Independent retailer Subas Subaskaram acquired the former derelict off-licence building to create his first own convenience store business. The store, on Bleak House Road in Oldbury, was officially opened by local dignitaries and members of the surrounding community. Goody bags were distributed along with balloons, giveaways, and a host of special offers.

The 1,000 sq ft store features a fresh groceries section, a National Lottery counter and an extensive beer, wines and spirits section. With a big South Asian community nearby, Subas is stocking lots of authentic South Asian foods as part of his comprehensive grocery selection.

In addition, the store runs regular promotions, which have proved a great success, with store takings increasing on average by £350 per week. Total weekly takings are currently at around £6.5k and rising weekly.

Subas worked in partnership with Parfetts to secure the site and develop the new store. Parfetts also worked closely on the original concept and store layout with further advice on merchandising and stock levels.

Subas decided to partner with Go Local because he valued his independence combined with the flexibility and freedom to choose the best product range for his customers but with the backing of a strong support network.

Commenting on the store, Subas said: “This was a great opportunity to turn a derelict building into a well-positioned convenience store that the whole community can use. It was an easy decision to partner with Parfetts and Go Local for my first store. I was already familiar with Parfetts as a reliable and great value wholesaler, having bought stock from them in a previous job. However, now that I have my own store, I wanted to partner with Parfetts from day one for stock and become a Go Local store as it’s a great fit for the store’s catchment area.

“Since opening, we have already built up a regular customer base. Parfetts have provided invaluable support throughout, helping to get the store ready with everything from layout and design to launch marketing and strong promotions. Parfetts’ RDA Justin Hurn has been supportive and fully committed to opening my store, and I’m already working with him on acquiring premises to open a second one soon. There’s a lot of competition in the area, so to have had such a strong start to trading here is a good sign for the future. I have exciting plans for the store in terms of variety, choice and value-based promotions, so I’m confident that we’ll have a great end to the year on the sales front.”

Parfetts is an employee-owned business, and its employees play a significant role in the success of the company and its retailers.

As more independent retailers choose Parfetts, the business has enjoyed record growth thanks largely to its focus on great value and service from a team dedicated to the success of the retailers it supports.

Steve Moore, head of retail at Parfetts, said: “We have worked in a close partnership with Subas to help develop his new store and give him the best possible start in Birmingham, which is a major growth area for us as a business. The results have been excellent, and Subas has really hit the ground running with his new store. The store is very appealing and makes great use of the space to deliver an overwhelmingly positive experience for customers combined with a warm family-owned welcome. As an ambitious and hard-working retailer, we look forward to supporting the further growth of the business.”