Mercury Stores is a much-loved hardware store on Chalcot Road, always there to provide residents and tradesmen what they need to get the job done. Adam wanted to find out what makes them tick…
What made you decide to set up your shop in Primrose Hill?
The store has always been a hardware store, and Dominic, the current owner of the store, was a plumber in the area and knew the store owner who was looking to sell the place and simply asked him if he would be interested. Dominic took the opportunity to purchase the store and it has been in his family for over 45 years.
- What made you decide to give your shop the blue and orange colours?
That was done by Dominic, his favourite colour was blue. The orange came into it when one of the suppliers donated our store sign and they included their signature orange colour.
- Which of your products do you sell the most at Mercury Stores and why?
Currently what always sells well, which maybe residents wouldn’t like to hear, is actually pest control. Moths, mice and ants have always been prevalent in Primrose Hill. I suppose that is part of the package living so close to the wonderful park, so we are always in demand for pest control through out the year.
- Which of your products do you sell the least at Mercury Stores and why?
Plumbing has become a slow sell, due to the ever presence of larger retailers and online stores. I suppose trades people need to save every penny so go buy in bulk for their needs, so we have over the years scaled back as demand has fallen.
- What have been the benefits of your shop being open in Primrose Hill?
We try to be your one stop shop for your home domestic and DIY needs, so being part of a community, we are always in hand for people to quickly pop in and shop, but also to give friendly advice. Being the only type of store in the area, we feel unique and privileged to be able to provide this service.
- What has been your favourite memory of Mercury Stores being open in Primrose Hill?
Primrose hill is a wonderful area to be in and we feel privileged to have the store here. There isn’t one memory I can say that stands out, just that we are blessed with wonderful people and even when new people move in it is very easy to be part of the area, so each passing day reminds us how fortunate we are to work in this lovely area.
- What have been the main problems/ challenges that Mercury Stores has faced?
As with many businesses, the pandemic and Brexit has had major disruptions, from supply issues, to the amount of average spend per customers in store. We have tried to be very resilient to these issues, but the past few years have taken us back and made it very challenging. We are working hard to keep the store going in these difficult times, and hope customers do need our service, so as long we have that need, we will continue, and we hope this year and onwards we will see growth again.
- How has Brexit impacted Mercury Stores?
It has had significant impact on supply. From small issues like certain products no longer available, to many products being out of stock. It has improved, but there are still long wait times for some products. One of our key selling points before was we could order in items very quickly if we were out of stock, or if you needed an item, you can’t find elsewhere, we would locate and bring in. Sadly, we have had to drop this until things change as supplier cannot guarantee stock will be available, so that is a big challenge we are still trying to figure out for near future.
- What advice would you give to someone that wants to set up a retail shop in Primrose Hill?
It is a wonderful area, with people who are very passionate and will tell you what they think, but that’s a good thing as a retailer coming in you should listen and learn from the needs of the people. Regardless of what type of business it is, always first connect with the people and you will see how welcoming and accommodating they all will be.
- What are your future plans for Mercury Stores and which direction do you think that it will be going in the future?
We want Mercury Stores to continue to be part and need of the area. We would love to be able to bring back services and products that we use to provide, but that all depends on customer needs and willingness to come and buy the stock from us, and hopefully we will flourish together and continue to serve Primrose Hill.
Mercury Stores: 43 Chalcot Rd, London NW1 8LS; 020 7722 5192
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