Dickleburgh village store goes head to head with heavyweights in Retail Industry Awards
Dickleburgh Stores and Post Office reopens after the extensive renovation and refurbishment of the original store.Owner, Mike Humphreys. - Credit: Eastern Daily Press © 2016
A village shop has won a place in the finals of this year's Retail Industry Awards held in London at the Grosvenor House Hotel in September.
Dickleburgh Stores and Post Office reopens after the extensive renovation and refurbishment of the original store.l-r: Post office counter assistant Claire Edmeades, Owner, Mike Humphreys and manager Callum Langstaff. - Credit: Eastern Daily Press © 2016
And now the South Norfolk store will be going head to head with other heavyweights including Spar, Londis and Budgens at the prestigious event.
Dickleburgh Stores and Post Office was shortlisted for the awards as the Most Improved Store in the UK after its entry into the competition.
Owners Mike and Karen Humphreys bought the shop following their success with Kenninghall Stores and Post Office which they have had for five years.
For the first six months the husband and wife team and shop manager Callum Langstaff listened to their customers and what changes they wanted.
Dickleburgh Stores and Post Office reopens after the extensive renovation and refurbishment of the original store. - Credit: Eastern Daily Press © 2016
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They then had the store refitted with new floors, ceilings, refridgeration, tills, counters, shelves and a shop front.
Owner Mike Humphreys said; ' When we saw Dickleburgh Stores come up for sale we thought let's see if we can replicate what we've done with our other store.
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'The shop hadn't changed much in 30 years so we spent the first six months listening to our customers and their needs and then did a total refit.
'Sales are doing extremely well and are improving week on week - our customers have gone up by 500 a week.
'I think it is the refit, the promotions and the range - we now stock double the amount of fresh foods.
'We have a really good team of staff, without which we couldn't have achieved this.
'My shop manager Callum has done a really good job since the start - at 21 it's the first shop he has managed.'
Customer Anne Baker said: ' To have achieved that in such a short space of time is fantastic and I wish them luck.
'The owners have cooperated with the community using a tasteful shop front with minimal signage that fits in with a rural village.
'You can go and buy anything from kitchen cup hooks to a really nice bottle of wine and they stock locally sourced food too.
'The shop has exceeded everyone's expectations.'
