The newsagency I have written about a couple of times (here and here) when they closed for lunch and closed for a week has closed for good. While it’s disappointing to see a newsagency close, it is good to see a sub standard operator get out of the business and therefore stop pulling the rest of us down. I was a regular in this shop and it frustrated me to see empty shelves and to experience mediocre customer service. Some Victorians will recognise the shingle – the Logo brand was local to Victoria years ago but has not been in use since the mid 1990s.
The presentation of this newsagency over the last couple of years was one reason I wrote here that the shingle newsagency is of little use any more. Why would I want my newsagency to be considered part of a retail network with businesses like this? This is why other retail brands in our channel are getting stronger and why, I suspect, they will refer to themselves less as newsagents and more just by their brand name.
It is sad to see, but if your operating it on your own (I presume it’s a one person operation) it’s very hard as we all know.
What can be learned from this?
Maybe invest in staff for busy periods – I’m a two person operation and now have an ex-newsxpress staff member working for me when the big draws are on and I can tell you it’s worth it – not being stuck behing a machine for twelve hours frees up a lot of time to keep the store stocked and presentable.
Or maybe if it is that hard to keep going – Selling the store before it wastes away, retaining most of the capital that you’ve put into it.
Anyway it happens.
I think unless you know how hard this owner was doing it then it isn’t fair to pass judgement.
Yes maybe the shop was poorly run and service wasn’t great but now that he/she has gone out of business that is someones livelyhood gone, I know of a lot of newsagencies that are struggling to pay bills and with suppliers quick to stop supply it is some times hard to keep the shelves stocked and the place looking full.
Unlike the big boys like banks, car makers etc, when small businesses closes down no one is there to call for gov help they are just allowed to fade away. Banks have been run poorly for years and now that times are tuff the gov steps in to help, when they were making billions in profit why were they not planning for the future? Why are we bailing them out but not helping small businesses.
Don’t be too quick to judge
if our newsagency body had advisers to help these newsagencys he may not have gone broke
Colin,
In this case I know a publisher offered help as did the Association. I asked about buying the busiess when I saw it struggling. Unfortunately, he did not want any help.
Mark
Some people just should not be self employed in retail or any other business.
It take commitment, a desire to succeed and the willingness to learn from other successfull business people and were offered to accept their assistance.
As an indusrty we don’t want outlets to fail but are better off that they don’t continue you damage the industry.
On the up side, we took over a newsagency that closed down under the same circumstances last July. We reopened the shop last October and have had to put in a lot of hard work and be very resilliate to make ourselves a name in the community. We have had a lot of challengers from suppliers, customers and other businesses in the area. We even had to open for 6 weeks with out Golden Casket.
We have managed to turn this business around and we opened our second brand new store yesterday.
There are people out there that can help you- you just have to be persistant.
Hi, I am new in the industry and have just took over an railway bookstore. Could someone out there tell me where I can get fixture and fittings for a newsagency shop. Thanks.
Hi Logan, I am about to shut a large newsagency (in Burnside Village Adelaide SA) to go to a smaller tenancy.
If you want to call me I have some excellent fittings for sale that are only 3 years’ old.
Ring me if you like on 08 83797578
June, Logans post was back in 2009…….just in case you were waiting on a reply.
Al
Hi Al, I’m officially an aged person now so
everyone has to forgive me (after laughing at me).
Hope Logan got some fittings LOL
Thats OK June, your comment has bought a smile to my dial this morning….!!!!