A CONVENIENCE store in Dorset has been made Trader of the Week- and here’s why.
The Talbot Village Premier, based on Bournemouth University’s campus, has all you would expect from a typical convenience store.
But a number of recent changes by the owner, working alongside Booker, has seen it set apart from the rest.
On Friday, September 23, and after two weeks of closure, the Talbot Village store re-opened its doors to boast a £170,000 refit.
It welcomed new and exciting features, including a beer cave, cold and hot drink machines, and zero-waste refillable foods.
It now also gets daily deliveries from Tasty Bakes in Southbourne- something that has been a real hit with the students.
Arun Ehamparam, who has owned the shop for more than 20 years, described the new shop layout as “incredible”. He added: “It’s taken a lot of hard work, and it is getting busier and busier.
“It used to be just a convenience store, but now it’s more than that, so it’s a lot of work.”
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The store feels particularly spacious since the work, with aisles made wider, and large windows and automatic doors giving more light to shoppers.
Arun said as a result, the shop was “nicer to work in”. He said: “I wanted it more open, before it was closed, and you couldn’t see anything that was in the shop.”
Wayne Bradley, of Booker, added: “We’ve worked on the space. Since Covid, we noticed people don’t like to be so close, so we have wider aisles and have given people that space.
“It all seems to work together. You’ve got virtually everything you need in the shop.”
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As part of the refurbishment, the Talbot Village store also became the first Premier to introduce QR codes as an alternative to promotional leaflets for customers. They are placed throughout the shop, and allow shoppers to grab the best deals possible, whilst reducing paper usage.
It is also working with food waste app Too Good to Go, and Dorset suppliers for its zero-waste refill section, as it continues to push towards a more sustainable future.
To see what the fuss is about, visit the Talbot Village Premier in Gillett Road.
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