No trespassing as Bill & Bert’s celebrates doubling in size and taking on more staff
Bill Nettlefield definitely hasn’t been trespassing – the independent greeting card and gift retailer has legitimately expanded into the shop next door, doubling the size of his existing store in Colchester.
When the adjacent former Trespass outdoor clothing and equipment unit became available, Bill grabbed the chance to take over the space and give more room to the cards and gifts he’s been offering since opening the original store in 2019.
With the shop named after himself and his much-loved late pooch Bert, Bill runs it with business partner Sarah Charlton, and he said taking over the extra space by knocking a hole between the two units was top of the bill: “I would have kicked myself if someone else had taken the empty unit later in the year.
“We’ve taken on more staff to make sure that, like all independents, we keep up the very high levels of customer service which always sets independents apart from the nationals. I have six staff on every day and it pays off, everyone gets a jolly greeting, we never have empty shelves, it’s great.”
And, after a three-day closure to make sure everything was completely shipshape, Bill & Bert’s had a grand reopening a couple of weeks ago complete with beer and prosecco for all customers,
“Trade on the first weekend of opening went bonkers,” Bill added. “It seemed like a November Saturday! The support from so many of our suppliers has been overwhelming, and customers from Colchester and surrounding areas have loved what we have done with the extra space, which now totals 4,500sq ft.”
Before opening Bill & Bert’s in August 2019, Bill’s long career in retail has included having a furniture store and a gift shop in Cheltenham, and he also helped set up the London Aquarium gift store as well as Calendar Club, the UK’s largest chain of pop-up calendar stores, with the original owners.
Bill said: “We do Rosie Made A Thing, Lucilla Lavender, Janie Willson, Museums & Galleries and a local Colchester artist Art Philly who is probably our second bestseller after Rosie, and it’s nice because no one else in town stocks her. Oh! and Penguin Ink is our newest publisher since we opened the extension.”
The newly-extended store offers a wide selection of stationery, fashion, bags, socks, home fragrance, games, lighting, hardware, pottery, and glassware, Bill added: “The range is endless and it’s one of the reasons that we’ve been so successful. Customers can buy something for themselves as well as for everyone in the family.”
Top: Expanding space – the new-look Bill & Bert’s
