Meet The Indie Store
News that independent stores are actually doing better than expected during the pandemic will be a balm to souls who love variety and individuality. Hearing that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos made $24bn at the height of the troubles was a bitter pill to swallow.
According to Local Data Company (LDC) and accountancy firm PwC, independents firms on the High Street suffered a net decline of 1,833 stores in the first half of 2020 - as opposed to chains, which lost 6,001. Independents fared better because they are “more agile, bringing in new product lines and offering food deliveries,” said Lucy Stainton, LDC’s head of retail; they also have less costs to cover.
At the same time, another 18,186 independent stores opened - indicating a flourishing market. Could the high street of the future be populated with community hubs, making and mending centres - and thriving Indies, as fashion campaigners long to hear?
But this is no time to sit back and rest on laurels. It’s been tough for small brands and it looks set to get worse before it gets better. As LDC points out, this has been "an immensely challenging few months for the retail and hospitality sector”. That’s why it’s so nice to meet The Indie Store, a new digital initiative set to make festive shopping easier for people who want to support independent brands through tricky times.
The Indie Store builds on the pioneering website of Muddy Stilettos, the natty urban guide to the countryside with an existing 500,000 subscribers. With insider knowledge of the UK’s most unique stores, The Indie Store features brilliant makers and producers, including Simon and Catrine of Norsk Shop & Café, Suzy Hobbs from award-winning Hobbs Gin and Rob & Hils handmade gifts from Muffat Prague. At its heart, the idea is to support quality small businesses that have been impacted through the latest restrictions, giving shoppers an easier way to find them online.
Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Hero Brown says, “It’s not always that easy to know how to find the best local businesses and support them, and hopefully that is one problem we’ve solved with The Indie Store,” says founder and editor-in-chief Hero Brown. “We’ve built a platform where you can buy direct from the brilliant little shops, makers and producers in your area across 25 counties, with 100% of purchase price going direct to the retailer.”
