Abbeville Road Baby and Children's clothes shop Post Reply

[Tigerprince]

Hi,

I am looking to open a baby and children's clothes shop on Abbeville Road, that sells children's clothes and gifts from baby up to 6 years old and a small selection of pregnancy/mum to be gifts. The brands I would be stocking are quite unisex and a lot of the items would be organic or made in the UK.

Is this something local parents' would be interested in or is it too near Northcote Road where there is a lot of baby shops?

Any feedback would be fantastic

xx

[Goldhawk]

I would advise caution

We have already had Twist in Balham that closed down
I don't know how the Natures Purest / Natural Baby shop is doing
You would also be competing with JoJo on Northcote and in Balham

[delsh]

Yes! And please do compete with Jojo’s - it’s all we’ve got in Balham and it’s not great at all. I’ve recently had a baby and buying her (or presents for others) locally is impossible - my mum friends and I are desperate for somewhere that will compete with Jojo’s.

What we need is somewhere that sells colourful, contemporary clothing for baby and toddlers and fun, well made toys. There are lots of great online stores I could point you to for inspiration.

What we definitely don’t need is somewhere like the place that just closed down on Abbeville Rd or the organic baby shop in Balham - all twee organic cotton and cashmere expensive cream stuff that nobody wants to actually dress their babies in!

[LastMumStanding]

There is probably a gap in the market for modern, fun and good value clothing along the lines offered in Zara kids etc. The local market is flooded in terms of organic/ethically sourced/ expensive options. Re Toys/gifts - there are lots of local options already - and it is hard to compete with online options so you need to be sure you are offering something different for which there is clear, sustained demand.

But Be very very cautious - in the current climate taking on the overheads of a shop is extremely risky - I would strongly recommend that you test your concept locally with a stall at a few fairs/festivals - and/or a pop-up shop - there are lots of vacant shops around.

Good luck!

[sleep5candle]

DON’T DO IT!!! As someone who owns several small businesses, I urge extreme caution. Piccolo has just closed down on Abbeville- too expensive, niche and never made any money since opening. They told me there just wasn’t enough fooT fall there. Not helped by rising rent on Abbeville Road too.
Couple that with the fact that most people now get baby and kids clothes online. I personally get stuff on John Lewis or Boden for my children- it’s easier. Yes, I may occasionally buy them something from a boutique but it’s a rarity rather than the norm and you are unlikely to get those regular customers that you need in enough numbers.
I have a school friend who also tried this- a really lovely kids clothes shop- spent a fortune on it, a lot of money tied up in stock and lasted about a year. She got her fingers severely burned and had to go back to her old job with tail between legs.
There are so many hidden costs in running a small business and they really add up. VAT, PAYE, till systems, book keeping, accountancy, rates, PRS and PPL Licences if you play music in the shop, rising costs of utilities, staff costs and if you want to minimise staff costs try being chained to your business day in day out, then having to spend your evenings doing admin for it.
I would really counsel you against this idea in this location. Having done 5 sites myself I really wish I could just walk away but it is all encompassing and 24/7. There are rewards for sure but I personally wouldn’t touch this kind of business on Abbeville Road with a barge pole- I think you will end up losing a lot of money. Best wishes

[calliwally]

hello,
I've PM'd you

[SW12Pops]

I've just been sent some property details, I've attached them from the Randell commercial property website - they're asking for 45k per year for an off licence on Balham High Road!

I can't even begin to work out how one would make the work financially - I know that it's not the right area for you but the eye watering cost is incredible!

[sleep5candle]

45K for a crappy off licence in Balham says it all really. It's greedy landlords and letting agents who push the prices up in areas, thus eventually homogenising them because only national chains can afford the rents. And thus removing the charm that attracts young families etc to the area in the first place.
Sorry to get on my soap box about this but as a commercial tenant and business owner I really feel it's my duty to warn you off this. The only places that can make a go of it imho are those who have a hedgefunder husband or wealthy parents who will stump up the cash to bankroll this kind of venture. And if you never even break even, let alone make it a commercial success, then really it's nothing more than a vanity project.
Rent should be around 10% of total turnover. So on a £45k shop you need to be turning over £450k through your tills to justify it. VAT on that is going to be almost £100k plus all your other expenses.
Another poster put it well- try it out first in a market or pop up environment. Stand outside potential premises with a clicker and actually count footfall. Or do it online, and spend your money on a great website and some good PR and marketing.

[calliwally]

Just a thought, but as rents seem to be high locally would you consider a slightly different approach? A friend of mine is selling her small business for personal reasons, it's gift van. https://www.facebook.com/MerakiGift.co. ... tion=group
It could be a good way to get around renting an expensive shop and it's quirky and fun.

[metoo]

Well done for having the entrepreneurial spirit (had to spell check that!). It's such a difficult one, and whilst not wanting to put you off I am inclined to agree with the others. The idea of pop-up stalls is good. I don't know what it is about Abbeville Rd but people seem to have perceptions and ideas about what the residents might like based on the extortionate cost of the houses - rather than looking at the kids and seeing what they wear. When my boy was born there was a kids' clothes store (before Piccolo). The owner had been a buyer in Harrods and thought Abbeville Rd had a similar demographic to her customers. A pair of trousers for a one year old were over £30. I reckon Gap or Boden Kids would be closer to local shoppers' needs. (I know, I could be wrong, my kids are teens now). Personally, my kids lived in H&M! Perhaps the business could be tied in with an online presence like JoJo. Good luck with whatever you decide.