John Bell & Croyden named Realys New Store of the Year

Society handled the appointment of Robin Winfield as John Bell & Croyden's Operations Director (their equivalent to a General Manager) in 2013. Last night the store picked up one of the most coveted prizes at the Retail Week Awards.

Operating from a large property on the corner of Wigmore Street and Bond Street in London’s West End, John Bell & Croyden has been a Royal Warrant holder since 1958. The store is the supplier of choice for nearby Harley Street clinics, and on their shelves you can find everything from high-end cosmetics through to surgical equipment. They also provide a number of luxury treatment rooms, and even maintain a team of in-house clinicians.

Robin joined the company in 2013 with a remit to shake things up a bit after a period of relatively flat sales. He ultimately convinced the store’s owners, German healthcare and pharmaceutical giant Celesio AG, to support a major refurbishment programme. This has successful transformed what had become a somewhat tired and uninspiring site. The newly expanded store interior is a noticeably lighter and brighter space, with dramatically improved signage. They have managed to renew the brand’s aura of history and authority, whilst giving the decor and displays an appealingly modern twist. There are also some superb touches, such as a replica Jaguar XF car book in which shoppers can test out the size of their various mobility scooters.

The judges were full of compliments for the store, and not just for the aesthetics. One judge pointed out that “pharmacy is a very difficult sector to bring alive with a really incredible experience, but John Bell & Croyden has done it”. Another said: “This is truly unique and the way it has done the redesign has been fantastic. I love the authority it has given the place.” Customers are responding really positively too. Like-for-like sales are up significantly since the store reopened.

Congratulations to Robin and his team on a job well done!