A Cumbrian retailer has marked five decades of owning a family convenience store.
David Gregson is celebrating 50 years at the SPAR store on High Street in Kirkby Stephen.
The Gregson family acquired the shop from the Woodcock family in 1976. The business had been converted to the SPAR brand in 1972.
Mr Gregson is the sixth generation of his family to run local shops, with the first opening in nearby Warcop in 1829.
That shop closed in 2007 when his father, Michael, retired, while his mother, Valerie, previously ran a clothing and babywear shop in Kirkby Stephen.
Mr Gregson said: “It is an amazing length of time, and another major milestone has ticked around. We had to mark the occasion with a celebration.
“It was not something that we could let slip by. My family has always had shops.
“There must be something we love about it! I think we have always enjoyed helping people out and accommodating their needs.
“My dad had a view that ‘if we haven’t got it, we’ll get it’. His SPAR store in Warcop had everything, and I have tried to follow that with the SPAR in Kirkby Stephen.
“I remember one occasion when we used to range household items and some clothing I was advised to focus on grocery products on a visit by my SPAR representative who took a particular focus on some check shirts.
“Within the same minute a farmer’s wife who is still a regular customer to this day came into the store and bought three of them right in front of him.
“He was totally convinced it was a set up! To me and the family, it was about knowing your customer which is why we sold them.”
Over the past 50 years, there have been changes in shopping trends and in the local town.
Mr Gregson added: “There has been so much change over the years, both in terms of the store and the town.
“There has been the change in trends of categories that perform well in convenience stores with a move away from traditional grocery items and newspapers and magazines to the rise in food to go.
“In Kirkby Stephen, we have seen many shifts in industry and employers. With Kirkby Stephen on the Coast to Coast path, and the rise in popularity of that challenge, we see customers from all over the world.
“They recognise the SPAR brand and come into the store to pick up their shopping. It always nice to chat to them.
“I have been very lucky to have had a wonderful team of staff across 50 years too, and many of them have been long serving.
“One of them, Brenda, did nearly 40 years, and two of my current team Carol and Judith have both done well over 30 years each.
“I have a couple of others in the team who have worked in the store a decade or more. The change to later opening hours and SPAR’s ‘Eight till late’ slogan was a huge move for us as a business in 1989, including Sunday opening at both Warcop and at Kirkby Stephen.
“We would never have changed unless we had been encouraged to do so by SPAR. My dad was quite a religious man, and I remember on the first Sunday we opened we took £600 which was a fantastic day of trade.
“The first customer was a vicar. My dad could not believe it!
“I think the other major point that sticks in my mind was the pandemic. I was down to three staff due to shielding at a time when the store was busier than it has ever been.
“I had 38 cages of stock being delivered on my main order day plus my daily fresh foods which was unheard of!. I was taking orders on the phone and volunteers were delivering them.
“I took on a couple of 15-year-old lads as I could not manage it on my own, one of whom Jacob who is still working at the store today.
“The camaraderie was amazing and that support was absolutely invaluable to the business. Convenience retail had its moment, and the community all pulled together”.
Celebrations are planned on Thursday July 16 and Friday July 17.
To mark the milestone, selected products will be sold at 1970s prices.
Staff will wear bright 1970s-style clothing, and the Kirkby Stephen Silver Band will play from 4pm on both days. A face painter will be there from 1.30pm, and customers will be able to play games to win prizes, take part in a quiz, and have birthday cake.
Cheese and wine will be served from 6pm on Thursday. Food samples from Clayton Park Bakery and Fazilas will be offered from 2pm on Friday.
