With The Retas just around the corner, PGBuzz caught up with Sharon Brown, owner of Blueberry Gifts in Musselburgh in Scotland, a finalist in the Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer (Scotland) category of these important card retailing awards.
How did you get started in retail?
I had worked in financial services for nearly 20 years and wanted a change. I’ve always wanted to work for myself and love visiting lovely little independent shops where you find something different to your usual high street chain shop so I decided I would love to open my own, which I did in 2015.
What three tips would you give someone starting out in retail?
- Research: Speak to other retailers in the area, customers in the area and canvass opinion on your idea.
- Plan: Set yourself a realistic target of what you want to achieve and when. Businesses take time to establish so don’t expect too much too soon.
- Budget: Set a budget and make sure you stick to it.
What products do you sell in your shop?
We offer a great range of greeting cards and gifts including candles, jewellery, scarves, new baby, wedding, Harris Tweed handbags and purses and much more.
What changes have you noticed in greeting card purchasing habits over the past few years?
Blueberry is only just coming up to its 2nd birthday so not a long trading history but what I have noticed is that people love our ranges of Scottish cards from Pink Pig and All That Glitters. Our range of cheeky cards from Cockadoodle are always popular too.
What are the greatest challenges to small businesses today?
Standing out from the crowd and offering something different to the big retailers
How do you make your business stand out on the high street?
Different products help but what I pride myself on is offering great customer service. I want every customer to enjoy visiting Blueberry and leave with a smile on their face and tell all their friends what a great shop it is.
