“When we are presented with superb development opportunities, my approach to business expansion is like Jim Carrey in Yes Man,” says Terry Uppal, as he proudly surveys the family’s latest Spar store in Barnsley.
The Uppal family, who have been Spar independent retailers for over 25 years, have just opened their seventh Spar store on Barnsley’s Kendray estate and are thrilled with the outcome.
It is a first step across the Pennines into South Yorkshire for the Uppal family whose six other convenience stores are in Greater Manchester and Cheshire, all serviced by James Hall & Co. Ltd.
However, the opportunity to breathe new life into the modern unit that formerly housed a Poundland Local store in Birk Avenue was too good to turn down.
Terry said: “My mindset is one of being open to expansion opportunities and growing our family business. Our previous launch in Rochdale was two years ago and the Spar there has been very successful.
“James Hall’s Estates and Acquisitions Manager really understands what we are interested in and approached us with this opportunity in Barnsley. As soon as I walked through the door to view it, I said, ‘we will take this’.
“I was impressed with the location, and the size of the Kendray estate is huge. Of course there are other stores, but we are very well positioned, and we have got a superb convenience offer.
“There have been other great opportunities since Rochdale we have said yes to but then lost out on the site, but that is the competitiveness of convenience retail. We will keep on exploring.
“With the wider support we get from multiple departments across James Hall, including our dedicated Retail Sales Advisor, it gives our family business the confidence to grow and take on new sites.
“In the case of Barnsley, that includes one that is located an increased distance away from our other stores.”
Immediately inside the 2,300 sq. ft. Spar store is a Cheeky Coffee machine and Clayton Park Bakery hot food counter adjacent to chilled Food To Go and soft drinks fridges, a confectionery section, and snacking area.
Towards the back of the store is the alcoholic and larger non-alcoholic drinks, grocery, frozen foods, household products, pet food, stationery and cards, and newspapers and magazines.
A vape section and spirits range sit behind the till, and the store’s high ceiling, bright LED lighting, and clearly identified category areas ensures that the shopping experience is a positive one.
Terry said: “We had a fantastic launch day with the community coming out to support us, and we have traded strongly in the days since.
“We are still getting to know the community, but I think our customers are as happy as we are with the look and feel of the store and the range we have stocked.
“All the Spar meal deals are implemented at different times of the day, as well as the Price Locked promotions and Big Deals, and that has been positively received by our customer base.
“We have retained three of the former Poundland store team and retrained them for their new careers as Spar retail assistants so there are some familiar faces that our customers recognise.
“It was a real team effort to get the store ready for the opening day. We are ‘hands on’ retailers and since taking on the site, we have done a lot of the work ourselves which has enabled a quicker opening time as well as saving significant labour and material costs.
“We have set the store up with the food for now section nearest the store entrance with lower shelving, placing the more substantial convenience shopping products towards the rear on higher shelves.
“It provides great visibility across the store and supports the shop’s mission as a true community convenience store.”
James Hall & Co. Ltd is a fifth-generation family business which serves a network of independent Spar retailers and company-owned Spar stores across Northern England six days a week from its base at Bowland View in Preston.
