Januarys helps retailer

Januarys helps local retailer to succeed.

The national press is full of stories about the death of the high street. However one local retailer, Cambridge Wine Merchants, is bucking the trend, with a little help from Januarys.

 

When Threshers, the off licence on Cherry Hinton Road, closed its doors for the last time, it seemed yet another victory for the recession and another blow to the viability of the little parade of shops which served the local community.

 

Januarys, however, had other ideas. They were asked by the freehold owners of the property to find another tenant and after some searching came up with Cambridge Wine Merchants.

Although on the face of it it might seem slightly strange to rent a unit to the same type of business as the one that had just failed, Cambridge Wine Merchants is a very different beast to Threshers.

 

To begin with, it’s a specialist wine merchant with specialist knowledge. The company – which now has four stores in the city – carries an enormous range of wine from large and small vineyards around the world.

 

Equally as important, Cambridge Wine Merchants is an independent, local firm. As a result it’s not restricted as to what it can sell by any national parent and so buys wine based on knowledge and experience rather than price and expediency.

Like so many independent stores, Cambridge Wine Merchants sells to discerning customers and doesn’t rely on price cutting or bulk selling to make its profits, although thanks to its policy of buying direct from the cellar door it offers very keen pricing. It’s simply more in tune with the needs of its customers – and the surrounding community – than a national company.

 

Nick Muncey from Januarys said, “We’re delighted this unit has gone to an independent, local business. We’re acutely aware of the important role retail plays in the community and anything we can do to help, even if it’s only small, has to be a good thing.”