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Giving the independent a voice
I can still remember, clear as day, setting out to buy everything I would need before term commenced at the local grammar school. Being a sport the school took seriously I was going to need a hockey stick.“We’ll go to Hubble and Freeman” said my Dad,“They know what they are talking about there.”
His Dad was in the fruit trade and the family had owned a number of shops throughout Kent, so he naturally held the independent in high esteem. I heard many stories about the world of independent retail when I was growing up, from my Dad delivering groceries on his bike to customers a good few miles away at a moment’s notice, to the struggles they faced as retail changed. So, when I found myself looking for an independent retailer to kick-start this new regular feature, it seemed fitting that I should remember his wise old words by paying another visit to Hubble and Freeman.
Hubble and Freeman is an established business. How long has this particular branch been open for?
Hubble and Freeman has been trading in Maidstone since 1910.We’ll be celebrating our centenary in three years! But times have changed, these days life for the independent sports retailer can be very tough, in a business where traditionally retiring sports pros want to earn a comfortable living. People like Dave Whelan and Mike Ashley for example!
Hubble and Freeman once had 14 shops, but anticipating the Internet and the potential of messrs Mike Ashley, Dave Whelan, Tom Hunter et al we closed all but this one and our specialist Cricket outlet in Cheltenham. General sports retail had changed forever by the mid-90’s unless you were big enough to take on the multiples and not many succeeded. All the cream, such as clothing and footwear got taken away as retailing changed. Nothing would ever be the same again. Or would it?
That said, under the umbrella of the The Victa Group, comprising Alfred Reader, Hubble and Freeman, 3D and E 4 U, an equipment and mail order business we were quick to react to a changing marketplace. In fact, we were one of the first sports retailers to have a website, and those were halcyon days, it is a misconception that independent sports shops are stuck in the past, refusing to move with the times. If you don’t move you will be left behind and suffer the circumstances.Not pretty.
How would you describe your store?
Individuality is the word that best describes us. Basically, we offer great service at Internet prices. Our Table Tennis tables are actually cheaper than at Argos. Our high quality cricket equipment is also competitively priced. In terms of cost to the consumer, we’re a mail order business operating out of high street premises. The difference is we don’t pretend to close down the day we open and don’t pretend to offer Golf clubs at 6.99 that have been reduced from £150.00, you know who you are, what ever happened to trading standards!
Talk us through your products.
We have been restoring and maintaining billiards pool, bar billiards, bagatelle and snooker tables in our own workshops for nearly 100 years. Our joinery, woodcarving and polishing skills have been developed over the last 97 years! Be it a snooker table, convertible billiard pool diner , Russian table, or a more unusual table - we can supply, repair and customise it for the consumer, no problem!
Our individual billiard skills have taken our fitters all over the world, from regular servicing trips to attend to the restoration of Mr Bransons table on Necker Island to repairing broken slates on tables in the Haute Alpes. We pride ourselves on taking on whatever, where ever! Did you know the French haven’t got a word for French Polish as we discovered recently in Geneva.
We also supply, and this list is by no means exhaustive, hockey, fitness, cricket, racket sports and outdoor games equipment - we pride ourselves on the vast range of sports goods we offer.We can make a cricket bat, re-string a racket, re-polish and renovate an antique table, re-model a Cue. In short,we are experts in the supply, renovation or repair of most sports goods.
What has trade been like so far this year?
It was difficult in the first quarter, but much improved in the second. Christmas was disappointing, but otherwise business has been good! We have been somewhat affected locally by the opening of the Fremlin Walk Shopping Centre (a major new shopping development in Maidstone town centre) as it has altered the traffic flow.We used to get a lot of passing trade, but now a lot of potential customers do not know that we are here.However it appears to bring a lot of new custom from outlying areas because you can park! Hope some town planners are listening. If they can’t park they won’t come and can you blame them.
What are your busiest month’s and why?
November through to June are our busiest months with the Christmas period, followed by the conscience period in Jan when we sell a lot of fitness equipment to get rid of the Pud.But we are big in cricket, so April and May are very busy months for us too.
Do you have any marketing strategies in place, such as linking up with local charities and schools?
We have sponsored local sports men and women , regularly donate prizes to fundraisers, donate vouchers to support the Youth sports awards run by our local council and to contribute generally where we can to our local community.Not something the multiples seem to do? Or am I missing something?
Do you belong to any buying groups?
We used to when we had more shops because it made sense. Now our MO is so idiosyncratic it is not so relevant.We are now owned by Kookaburra who bought Victa in 2000 and who enjoy many buying benefits from which we benefit.
Has the growth of online retail impacted on your sales in recent years?
Yes and no. There is more competition now, but having anticipated the Internet we can compete by price matching. The Internet cannot compete with our service, however. The internet can be an asset as it enables us to reach a vast audience at low cost. There are as many benefits as problems.
What about the might of the multiples (of which there are a good few in Maidstone), just how do you compete?
We don’t want to compete as we are completely different, so no,we don’t feel any impact.Apart, that is, from their staff who in the main are local and who send customers to us on a regular basis, as we do in fairness when they want goods we no longer sell.
What sets the independent sports retailer apart from the rest?
Knowledge and service, don’t take your eye off the ball.
