A new store in the heart of London’s thriving Camden opened this week, with a mission to bridge the gap between the high-end offering of places like Whole Foods and the more budget friendly c-stores located nearby.
Storrd, the brainchild of director Rachel Andre and team, is located just a stone’s throw from Camden High Street, an area usually jam-packed with tourists but also home to a large number of local residents – many of whom have already popped in to shop the new store’s range of what it calls ‘challenger brands,’ food to go, coffee and fresh lines.
Speaking at the soft launch today (16 December), Andre said: “It’s a brand new venture for us. We saw an opportunity to reimagine convenience, looking at other countries and how they do convenience in places like the USA and Asia.
“You can do your convenience shop here - your usual top-up missions - and you can get delicious hot food. And you can do it either on a real budget or you can do it super premium.”
The immaculate looking 1,080 sq.ft. store welcomes in shoppers with a fresh food and drink section, which has a menu that changes from breakfast to lunch offering at late morning time. Moving through, there are snacks from smaller brands, a large alchol section and the all the usual toothpaste and toilet rolls you might expect.
Operations lead at Storrd, James Oldam, explained more: “We’re trying to find a balance. I think a lot of what we’re doing is around choice, really. We’re ultimately a convenience store, so we wanted a place where you could build your basket. You need Heinz beans in there, but you also want these challenger brands too.”
The new team at Storrd includes people who’ve previously worked in FMCG, with Mars, Ocado, Waitrose and even TikTok listed in their various career histories.
That last name is important, for this store particularly, as influencers are just as important as the trade press in getting the new store’s name out there, the team believes. Community engagement events and even DJ nights are planned for the Camden store too.
Further branches of Storrd are planned for London across 2026, with a number of properties already in the pipeline – and many will dwarf the Camden branch, James said: “Our next store will be about 260 sq.m. (2799sq ft), but we also want to bring more of the seating area into it.”
The food to go area was the busiest part of the store when we visited, and store manager Tiziano Senese (left) was on hand throughout, offering coffees and explaining the green credentials of the store’s lunch menu.
Andre also acknowledges that Storrd will not be immune to the pressures facing retailers nationwide, particularly when it comes to safety and retail crime: “We want people to come in here and feel safe. We don’t want to have to put a big Post Office-style screen at the counter, or to have a door delay to let people in.
“We have a security guard who comes and who’s known for making people feel safe without feeling intimidated. Our security guards are really friendly. They’re trained to be part of our team. They help out in the store when needed, so again, it’s this comfortable space that people want to be in.
“With business rates and other rising costs, next year is looking tricky. But the thing is, the demand is there for the high street and we’re seeing that across the board. The high street is back, so it’s an investment.”
The new store opens from 6am-11pm daily.
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