Trailblazing forecourt operator David Charman is investing more than £750,000 to reintroduce the “wow” factor at his Parkfoot Spar store.
David’s floor to ceiling eight-week renovation at his BP garage in West Malling, Kent, will start in earnest in early February. It will include the introduction of a cheese counter, self-checkouts, the latest multi-coloured electronic shelf edge labelling, and “lots of very expensive bespoke areas”.
Chiller space, already prominent in the 3,200sq ft store, will be increased by 20%, and while the number of Cook freezers will be reduced from eight to five, overall freezer space will increase by 30%. The alcohol section is also being improved.
“It is a complete revamp of a tried and tested formula that works,” says Charman, who last refurbished the shop 12 years ago. “Some people who look at it think it is not too bad, but I look and see that it is actually falling apart.”
Other changes included in the renovation include moving the bakery closer to the front door, for security reasons with staff serving from it, as well as to create a welcoming ambience. Initially customers will pay for their bakery items at the main checkout area, but there is an option to add a “quick in and quick out “ service later, says Charman.
Aesthetically the store will be given a modern look inside and out with the interior being fitted with black ceiling tiles, as well as personal touches including a bespoke flower display. “We want people to walk in and go ‘wow’. That is what we are going to achieve,” says Charman, who is known for setting the agenda in the industry with the introduction of an in-store butchers counter at a time that this was a very new concept for forecourts.
In this latest investment it is the first time that Charman has installed self-checkout tills, which he stresses he is using to make better use of his staff’s time helping customers, rather than to make redundancies. He is replacing the existing four standard tills with three self-checkouts and two main tills, all supplied by CBE.
It is the third upgrade of electronic shelf edge labelling for the business, which originally introduced the technology eight years ago.
Last year the business spent £150,000 on converting its boardroom to an on-site kitchen. From here, using ingredients from the butcher’s counter, it has been successfully making its own oven-ready meals, selling at a rate of up to 100 a day.
Charman plans to take this a step further by launching Parkfoot Eats, his own brand of fresh, cooked, and in the latter part of the year delivered, food range. He describes this as “probably the most exciting project we have ever embarked on”.
He adds “Our business has changed a lot, and now we are developing our own products we need to have a facility that promotes that.”
Bits of work have already started and the shop will remain open all the time during the renovation. “It has been three years to get to this point. Spending this amount of money you have to get it right.
“It’s a bit of torture while it’s going on, but it is what we did before as it is important not to shut up shop and maintain business,” he says.
”It is long over due. It was so busy during Covid that now the store is rather worn out. Investing is something businesses have to do to keep looking the part. We are really proud of what we are doing.”
