Another important step in Rhuthun’s continued prosperity is complete today, with a further vacant shop open for trade.
The former Lewis Electrics shop at 40 Well Street is now transformed and open as Nelson’s, a café-cum-cookshop, run by Victoria Lewis of Lewis’s. And, open just in time for Christmas, too. Any later and it would’ve been a little pointless. It was all a bit of a rush, as the paint drips on Nelson’s window and pavement testify!
In the post-Tesco world that is Rhuthun, the key to trading success seems to be in offering products that are *distinct* and of *quality*. Nelson’s qualifies on both counts.
Aside from drinks and snacks, it’s hard to pigeonhole Nelson’s. It sells what might best be described as upmarket kitchenware (but also some linen and towels). A shrewd move because not only is this type of tackle unavailable at Tesco’s, it isn’t really available anywhere else in Rhuthun, pretty much. Which means it is safe from predatory action, especially from Tesco’s.
We would expect its nearest competitor to be King’s, further along Well Street. The good thing about King’s is that its kitchenwares are more essential and less frivolous, not that we’d categorise Nelson’s stock as in any way “trivial”. “Characterful” may be a better term, tastefully laid-out with an eye for flair, and a good use of space.
There are two good points about Nelson’s opening. The first is that with it, we see the penultimate gap in Well Street filled. In spite of town centre trade decline following Tesco’s, Rhuthun is still looking better than it has for 15 years, or longer.
The other is that, much to the relief of pedants everywhere, Nelson’s correctly uses the apostrophe in its name.
The former Lewis Electrics shop at 40 Well Street is now transformed and open as Nelson’s, a café-cum-cookshop, run by Victoria Lewis of Lewis’s. And, open just in time for Christmas, too. Any later and it would’ve been a little pointless. It was all a bit of a rush, as the paint drips on Nelson’s window and pavement testify!In the post-Tesco world that is Rhuthun, the key to trading success seems to be in offering products that are *distinct* and of *quality*. Nelson’s qualifies on both counts.
Aside from drinks and snacks, it’s hard to pigeonhole Nelson’s. It sells what might best be described as upmarket kitchenware (but also some linen and towels). A shrewd move because not only is this type of tackle unavailable at Tesco’s, it isn’t really available anywhere else in Rhuthun, pretty much. Which means it is safe from predatory action, especially from Tesco’s.We would expect its nearest competitor to be King’s, further along Well Street. The good thing about King’s is that its kitchenwares are more essential and less frivolous, not that we’d categorise Nelson’s stock as in any way “trivial”. “Characterful” may be a better term, tastefully laid-out with an eye for flair, and a good use of space.
There are two good points about Nelson’s opening. The first is that with it, we see the penultimate gap in Well Street filled. In spite of town centre trade decline following Tesco’s, Rhuthun is still looking better than it has for 15 years, or longer.The other is that, much to the relief of pedants everywhere, Nelson’s correctly uses the apostrophe in its name.