A Village-Based Store in Bourne

A Thriving Store Adapting to Suit Local Customers

The Post Office in Langtoft is a typical village store – it thrives by knowing what it’s local customers want. Before being purchased by Harjinder Kaur in 2019, it had been closed down after being with the previous owners for 30 years. Mrs Kaur set up initially as an independent store and followed the advice of her Booker RDM Gopan Vijayan on what to stock, taking the standard lines that consistently sell well around the country – this offering was then adapted to suit her specific customers. Gopan also recommended that the store use a ShopMate EPoS system to manage stock and place wholesale orders for delivery.

The key to the village-based store success, Mrs Kaur asserts, is that she supports local businesses in her fresh food offering. Local residents appreciate the fresh meat delivered regularly by the local butcher and fresh cakes and bread from a local baker as well as fruit and vegetables from a local producer. The products she stocks are more likely to be grocery products for last minute purchases than soft drinks and takeaway food. Budget lines don’t do so well for this village store though some less expensive lines have recently been introduced to help with the increased cost of living. This switch has also helped when keeping all products in stock through challenging times. Alcohol sells well, and the store keeps a decent range of quality wines, beers and ciders. Vapes are a growing area, that Mrs Kaur is tentatively exploring.

Inside the door there is a seasonal area, hot drinks, Fwip chiller and magazines to the left, and easy to reach individual serve soft drinks chiller to the right. A number of cold snacks are in the chiller here too. Further inside is the Post Office and Shop Counter. Towards the rear of the stores is a good selection of wines, along with chilled wine and beer. The centre console holds a selection of chocolate confectionery and bakery items on the reverse. Opposite the console is a section with milk and cheese. The store opens up into a second section containing, greetings cards, family soft drinks, frozen meals and ices, pet foods, groceries and toiletries.

This store is a great example of how to adapt the standard range to suit a specific demographic. Mrs Kaur’s range takes into account the affluence and the shopping styles of her customers. She is aware of the exact services that residents appreciate like the late opening post office counter to encourage repeat visits and providing the products that suit their lifestyle.