With the recent addition of a post office within the store, Best-one at Brownlies in Biggar has undergone something of a transformation, but the fundamental principles which have made the shop such a success remain in place thanks to passionate owners
Bruce and Donna Morgan.
The old market town of Biggar isn’t short of shops, which is a refreshing thing to see on a Scottish high street. It has just lost its Post Office though, but while this may usually be a bad sign, there was hot competition in the town as to who would take over the licence and become a Post Office Local – one of the new, much heralded formats, that are rolling out across the country. One store who, upon hearing of the impending closure a year ago, began planning how such an addition would work in their store has now been reborn. And it’s not as if Best-one at Brownlies was in need of improvement, having been a perennial winner at the SLR Awards in recent years.
The store is run by Bruce and Donna Morgan, who took over the licence on 22nd August. The addition of the Post Office has triggered a number of changes to the shop – most noticeably (as you’d expect) at the till point area, where the removal of a queue divider has created an open area that gives the perception of space far beyond its actual measurements. A new white single piece counter is striking with the four tills clearly divided into Post Office and regular tills.
The process of obtaining the licence itself is something that could pique the curiosity of local TV producers as shops had to pitch to win the business. “There was competition with a couple of nearby stores,” says Donna. “But we are the shop that opens at 6am and closes at 10pm, which gave us a big advantage. We had to provide accounts, a business plan, attend interviews. They want to see a viable business, which is understandable.” Open for business Having a post office in a store is obviously a huge change, and it’s one that has been eased with two staff from the old Post Office transferring over to Brownlies under the TUPE legislation. In addition to that Bruce and Donna undertook a three day training course and have subsequently trained staff in the duties now required. Such is the set up of the Local format that there is no sub-postmaster salary, but the added footfall is already benefitting the store, as Bruce says: “I saw someone I’d never seen in the shop before using the post office and then buying a full basket of goods.”
That Brownlies was chosen is certainly a big tick for the business that Bruce and Donna have built since taking over the shop from former SGF President Hamish Stewart seven years ago. It’s journey that’s seen the couple transfer the shop into a modern c-store with solid food-to-go and fresh offerings, and an off-trade section that has seen them scoop a handful of SLR Awards in the last two years alone. The Post Office opened with minimal disruption to the store (a stand-up portable till was utilised while the main tillpoint area was renovated). And while they were at it, a new EPoS system was installed, which Bruce says has made a monumental difference.
“So much is done automatically now. With the new system, I can do in 15 minutes what used to take me two hours of scanning.” Like all local retailers, Bruce and Donna are grafters. Donna is in the store at the back of 5am every morning to prepare hot rolls for the workmen who stream through the door at 6am. “They’ll pick up a paper and juice as well as the roll so it’s been a massive change for us,” she says. Bruce adds: “Over the last three years we’re up 40%, which is a figure that surprised me, but it shows out hard work is paying off.” The store is unique – a much over-used word, but one that certainly applies to Brownlies. Due to the nature of the building this is as far removed from a rectangle as you’ll ever seen in a c-store; it’s more of a collection of small rooms joined together and it provides a unusual but compelling shopping experience.
Central to this is the now open till point area, beyond which sits the off-trade fixture, sectioned off through a narrow door, giving the impression of being in a cellar – and completely surrounded by a huge range of wines and over 60 craft beers, it’s almost impossible to not pick up a bottle. Winning with wine Neither Bruce nor Donna have any formal training in wine, but more than make up for that with a passion that has expanded their knowledge over the years they’ve run the shop. Then there’s the advice passed on from Wine Importers and Forth Wines, their main suppliers along with Best-one (again, catering for all budgets, wines go from £5 to £37 for an Amarone).
“We learn so much from just working with the suppliers,” says Donna. And the customers have learned to, thanks to regular wine tastings hosted by the couple in a local hotel. Not only does this integrate them into the community, but it fosters loyalty in customers – and when they are customer who regularly spend north of £10 on a bottle of wine. The chilled section is also impressive. Recently moving the milk to the end of an aisle has not only made it more visible, but has given over an additional one-metre to fresh produce, of which there is a cracking range – almost all of which is locally sourced. “We get a wide range of shoppers so we run Best-one promotions,” says Bruce, holding up a packet of meat. “So we’ll do two gammon steaks for £2 or you can buy a single piece of salmon for £7. Best-one has started doing butcher meat so we’re stocking that too. You can’t see it because we’ve sold out!” “People like that we’re a bit different,” says Donna, with Bruce adding: “We’ve never tried to compete with the Sainsbury’s in the town, we don’t sell ready meals for example. Our customers tend to be people who cook.” A fantastic anecdote illustrates the shop’s commitment to this philosophy. “A guy came in recently looking for a ready meal,” says Donna. “One of our members of staff, Angela, explained we didn’t sell that sort of thing and within a few minutes had sold him all the ingredients he needed for Spaghetti Bolognese and given him a recipe.” So while the shop has seen a big change, it is very much business as usual. So does that put the brakes on further changes for now? Bruce and Donna share a look that dissolves into a laugh.
“It slips away quickly so we won’t rest for long,” says Bruce, confirming that those brakes have been applied, for a while at least. Brownlies is everything a local shop should be so whatever comes next, the future looks bright for Bruce and Donna – and for their shoppers.
