Latest greetings retailer moves, new openings and ownership changes
New stores, moving premises and changing owners – it’s all going on as the world of greetings retailers rarely stands still.
With garden centres a huge part of the card and gift world, two of the biggest groups are busy expanding their estates, with British Garden Centres taking on the three Langlands sites, while Blue Diamond has acquired Frosts at Woburn Sands.
British Garden Centres – one of The Retas 2024 finalists in the Best Garden Centre Retailer of Greeting Cards Multiple category – is already the UK’s largest family-owned garden centre group so its acquisition of the Langlands centres in Shiptonthorpe, Whinmoor and Loxley, further strengthens its presence in Yorkshire while taking its estate to 65 UK locations.
This trio of centres had been owned by the Ducker family, who founded the business over 60 years ago.
Charles Stubbs, BGC’s founder and director, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome the Langlands Garden Centre team and loyal customers to the British Garden Centres family. Langlands has a long-standing reputation for quality products, expert advice, and a dedication to the communities they serve, values that perfectly align with our own.”
Meanwhile Blue Diamond, also a 2024 Retas finalist and winner of this year’s Garden Centre Retailer Of Gifts award in The Greats, has added Frosts to its 45-strong list of outlets, and expects to complete the takeover of the family company’s remaining Willington outlet next month, taking the group’s annual turnover to £332million.
“Frosts Garden Centre is a thriving and respected family business with a unique brand and excellent reputation within the local community,” said Blue Diamond Group’s ceo Alan Roper. “We intend to protect its heritage and core values while driving the business forward into the future and are delighted to welcome Frosts into the portfolio.”
And there’s another one which could be in the mix as The Pot Place, with gift shop, tea room, furniture centre and plant side based at the old Plumpton railway station near Penrith, has just gone up for sale through Christie & Co as founders Paul Thomas and Kevin Roper look to retire.
On the specialist store front, Paper Tiger owner Michael Apter has been posting about opening his fourth Edinburgh store, in the suburb of Stockbridge, just 14 months after taking over a former Paperchase site in Morningside.
“In our opening week in Stockbridge, we have sold products from over 100 different suppliers,” Michael explained. “Over the course of a year, we will sell products from well over 150 separate sources. We’ve packed our shelves with everything you need to celebrate life’s moments, big and small.”
It’s the end of an era in Dore, Sheffield, where Carole Lilley is handing over the reins at Paper Moon after almost 14 years: “It’s time to pass the shop on and begin my big adventure joining Keith, my husband, in New Zealand. It’s been a great pleasure getting to know you all and I will take with me such happy memories of my time at Paper Moon.”
The new owners are the McVie family, who live in the village, with Vicky taking the lead from the re-opening on Saturday, 3 August.
Having started the shop in 2010 with partner Debbie Hatch, who moved back to London in 2019, Carole added: “We had lots of adventures and laughs along the way. From there it’s been a bit of a bumpy ride, with Covid, oil prices rocketing, high interest rates, etc. Things are now returning to normal and it’s a good time to hand over the reins.”
And one newbie has been going great guns since starting just seven months ago, as Enchanted Highlands owner Eryne Scott has already lined up larger premises in Elgin.
Having moved from selling well-being items from her home to touring markets across Moray, Eryne took on the bricks-and-mortar store in December and customers’ request for different items to add to the holistic store’s gifts, greetings and homewares offer mean a bigger shop is needed.
Eryne, who has plans to let local crafters sell their products too, said: “I’ve added as much shelves as possible and had no space anymore – it feels terrifying but so exciting at the same time. I need to remember that I’ve already done it on a smaller scale!”
Going to the big boys, Retas 2024 Best Specialist Multiple award winner Cardfactory never stands still for long, added four new stores to take its estate nearer 1,060, with openings in Cheltenham, Leicester and Syston as well as Tipperary in Ireland in the past six weeks.
And Cards Direct is no slouch either, with new shops in Cwmbran and Mansfield in July pushing the Hemel Hempstead-based retailer near the 60-store mark.
