A forecourt retailer in York is celebrating a year trading under the Nisa Local fascia after making the switch from a competitor to focus on an improved fresh offer for shoppers.
The Inner Space Service Station, recently crowned Newcomer of the Year at Nisa’s annual gala awards dinner, has seen sales climb by 30% in the 12 months since moving to Nisa.
Manager Sam Cook, who has worked at the forecourt for 30 years, said since joining Nisa, the store has gained additional footfall as well as seen existing customers increase their spending.
“One of the key reasons we moved to Nisa last year was to allow us to increase our fresh offer and the Co-op own brand was something we were really interested in.
“Our shoppers now come into the store and pick up something fresh for their dinner, and while they’re here they also add other items to their basket to save them from having to go elsewhere. They can everything they need in one place.”
The 1,800 sq.ft. store which has a unique theme across the interior and exterior, including daleks on the shop roof, offers a full convenience range and is open for 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Formerly trading as a Londis, Sam said that whilst confectionery, soft drinks, cigarettes, and alcohol continue to be top performing categories, chilled sales are growing weekly, and the store must change regularly to reflect that.
“I review sales constantly; taking out lines that don’t sell and increasing space for the areas that are growing. We now have two full bays of raw meat in the store and are looking to expand that even further – which is something we never dreamed would happen before we moved over to Nisa,” she said.
Key to the success of the store is keeping an eye on the wider market and Sam regularly visits other sites to see what they are selling and whether they are doing anything differently.
She said: “As an independent business you can get cocooned in your own store and what you’re doing. But you have to see what everyone else is doing across the market to make sure you’re not missing a trick.”
Installation of electronic shelf edge labels, additional food and drinks to go machines and adding the store’s hot food offering to the existing Deliveroo service are just some of the upcoming plans on the agenda.
“This is an evolving market, and we need to keep making changes to stay relevant and be competitive,” added Sam.
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