This is where we felt Berghaus could come in and really push Room 14 forward.
With our store having the Pennines pretty much on our doorstep, there’s an appetite from our customers for both fashion product, and for some of the more technical parts of the collection too.As most of you will know, Berghaus has an amazing heritage, born in the North East in 1966 from an idea from founders Peter Lockey and Gordon Davison, Berghaus has been packed with innovation and quality fabrics since day 1.
Believe it or not, outerwear wasn’t the first category Peter & Gordon focused on, it was the rucsac - the Berg 172. Once the guys had perfected that, outdoor wear changed forever, with Berghaus leading the packFrom instant outdoor classics like the Trango jacket through to the Dean Street range which pays homage to the brands roots & archive classics, the reach of the brand means you’re just as likely to see Berghaus in a cool artisan coffee house as you are on a climber trying to scale Ben Nevis.
So there you have it, Berghaus can be found on the most famous faces in outdoor sports world whilst being stocked in some of the most renowned fashion retailers in the UK, and we’re proud to be on board too.Our first drop of SS23’ has already arrived in store and the reaction has been great so far. The collection will be available from our online store soon and we’re really looking forward to building a great relationship with Berghaus and seeing where the journey takes us.
]]>I then completely relocated the store in July, moving from Ashton-under-Lyne to Upper Mill, and the change was night and day. I went from ticking along nicely to being nice and busy. I had a really good Christmas and New Year. Being on my own, I do it all. I’m on the shop floor, I deal with the website and online sales and I do the social media. Revenue-wise I’ve always been predominantly driven by instore sales. In fact, 90% of my turnover still comes from instore, with 10% online. However, going in to this year, the spare cash I have will go in to a new website to really drive some more revenue online. I’m extremely positive about this year.
"Going in to this year, the spare cash I have will go in to a new website to really drive some more revenue online. I’m extremely positive about this year."
Rowan Hines - Owner
I went on Sale on 27 December. I always hold my nerve, despite others now going pre-Christmas. I normally go on Boxing Day, but I waited for other businesses in Upper Mill to get involved. I’ve been in business for 16 years now, so I’ve got a definite idea of who my consumer is and what brands they’re after from me. Fred Perry, Dickies and Selected Homme all work really well for me, and I’ve done well with a new brand addition, Bike Shed, which is based in Shoreditch. We also do well with a brand called WAWWA out of Manchester, as well as Martial Artist and Saucony – always both strong performers.
Going in to 2022 is very much about elevating the business and adding new brands. I’ve got three new brands coming in this year which I’m really happy with, Berghaus, Rains and Deus Ex Machina. So far, so good, and I’m excited for what’s ahead.
]]>14 George Street will always be our birthplace, but, to grow, you’ve got take a deep breath and go for it.And that’s what we did when me moved to our beautiful new store in Uppermill, Saddleworth in July 2021.The shop is located on New Street, right in the centre of the village, so we’re fully in the thick of the action.It’s also set in the foothills of the Pennines, so not only is it in a beautiful location, our demographic has become broader too.
From the crowd who like to spend their time in Uppermill's coffee shops and food spots, to the outdoor activities folk, having the store here has allowed us to shape our brand mix to a level we’ve wanted to be at for a while. A brand like Berghaus is the perfect example. There’s the obvious famous technical outdoor product that we know and love for our more adventurous customers, which sits alongside the classic and iconic lifestyle products for our casual guys.Going forward, the aim is to make Room 14 the best destination store in our area by adding brands that appeal to our existing customers whilst attracting new customers coming to Uppermill for the first time too.
We've doubled our floor space, increased our footfall, improved our location, so everything is pointing in the right direction for a busy summer and beyond.They say it’s not where you start, it’s where you finish. If the first 17 years are anything to go by it’s going to be an interesting journey.
]]>