Over the last month, a Chester store has most definitely not been celebrating its fifth birthday.
Posting on the store’s social media channels in early October, Charlotte Williams - who’s owned the independent Winsford Your Local since 2021 - even seemed surprised to learn her store was celebrating the landmark birthday.
But the story becomes more amazing when you learn Charlotte only really purchased the store on a whim. “I had absolutely no background in retail! I’d spent 15 years working as a personal trainer, but lockdown made me rethink what I wanted to do next.
“One day, I was doomscrolling through Rightmove - as you do - and came across a convenience store for sale in Winsford. Before I knew it, I’d gone from looking at properties online to owning a shop.”
Learning curve
Charlotte said the move led her to a steep learning curve, but one aided by her love of people: “I’ve always loved people, and running a convenience store means I get to meet and chat with all sorts of characters every single day.”
The decision to move into retail came directly after Covid, a period which made many people question their place in the world. “Before lockdown, I’d been a personal trainer, but when all the restrictions came in it made me question whether that was something I wanted to continue doing long-term.
“The part of my job I’d always loved most was the interaction with people.”
“The part of my job I’d always loved most was the interaction with people. I enjoyed the conversations, getting to know customers and building relationships. Looking back, those are exactly the things I love about running the shop.
“One of the things I love most is that you genuinely never know who’s going to walk through the door next. It certainly keeps life interesting.”
Fast forward five years, and Charlotte finds herself at the store’s anniversary. “But we did absolutely nothing! Perhaps that’s something I should start doing,” she said.
Social media
That ‘something’ would probably involve social media, as Charlotte’s store’s channels are always busy, populated with details of new lines and services it offers, as well as the odd request for help.
Charlotte explained: “Social media has been an absolute game changer for me. I’ve realised people don’t just want to see products and prices, they want to see the people behind the business, what’s going on day-to-day and all the little dramas that come with running a shop.
“I always say it’s a bit like watching a soap opera. People become invested in what you’re doing, and I think that connection is incredibly valuable.
“It’s not always about selling something. Sometimes it’s just about making people laugh, having a conversation or showing them what really goes on behind the scenes.”
Locally recognised
The Winsford store is also known locally as Charl’s Shop, “Because my name’s Charlotte - it’s as simple as that really.
“I think it’s lovely that people refer to it that way, though. It makes it feel like a proper little community shop rather than just another convenience store.
As for what’s coming next in “Charl’s soap opera,” the store is on the hunt for a freezer, as well as a move to cater for the new gym next door.
“We recently started stocking locally made, high-protein, macro-friendly ready meals from Prep-D, a business I’d been keeping an eye on for a while.
“When the carpet shop next door turned into a gym, I thought the timing couldn’t have been better. Surely we’d have a ready-made customer base right next door?
”But interestingly, the gym members haven’t necessarily been our biggest customers. The meals have appealed to a much wider range of people than I’d originally expected.
“It’s taught me a valuable lesson about retail - never assume you know who’s going to buy a particular product. Customers will surprise you!”
Parcel services
On top of the ready meals and freezer hunt, Charlotte said her store is also looking at expanding its parcel services: “We’re continuing to look at ways to give people more reasons to visit. Parcel services are a big focus for us at the moment, and we’ll be expanding those over the next couple of weeks.
“We also launched our own freshly made sandwiches a few weeks ago, which has been another new venture for us. Ideally, we’d love to build on that and introduce hot breakfasts - particularly bacon butties.”
Charlotte concluded: “I’m always looking for the next opportunity. I think that’s what you have to do in independent retail - keep adapting, keep trying new things and never stand still.”
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