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New firm aims to lure men back to the High Street

A North East entrepreneur has brought a new retail concept to the region by creating a haven where men can enjoy a stress-free shopping experience whilst socialising with friends and sampling the latest music and technology.

With many men avoiding fashion shopping where possible – often leaving it to their partners – a new brand on the North East high street is aiming to alleviate their retail woes through a unique combination of aspirational incentives.

As well as bringing a number of high-end fashion labels to the region for the first time, alongside a stable of designer classics, Social Store, in Yarm, will also showcase the latest music, technology and gadgets, making it much more than just a shopping experience, but a lifestyle.

The retailer, which runs the website www.socialstore.com as well as the store on Yarm High Street, is expected to turnover close to £500,000 in its first year as its fills a gap in the market for designer men’s fashion in Yarm, while also enjoying soaring online sales.

The concept was created by Howard Egglestone, a retail entrepreneur who has operated a number of successful brands in the region in the past; however it will be 25-year-old fashion enthusiast and denim guru, Benn Geldart, who will be the face of the store.

Mr Geldart who has quickly worked his way up to store manager and buyer from humble beginnings as a shop assistant, said: “Social Store is much more than a designer goods shop. It is a relaxed, sociable place for shoppers to soak up and sample the fashionable, cultural and technological lifestyle which men aspire to have.

“We specialise in finding the perfect fit for our customers and, whatever age they are, we will find the right clothing for them.

“We are aiming to constantly evolve and move forward as the demands of shoppers change.”

Social Store will stock several brands that have not been available in Yarm before, such as indie music star Liam Gallagher’s brand Pretty Green, Edwin Jeans, Denham and J Lindeberg.

The shop also plans to host a series of events, such as ‘meet the designer’ evenings, live music and fashion shows in the coming months.

It is also set to introduce iPads into the shop to allow customers to order items online if a certain designer’s range is not available in the store.

Meanwhile, Mr Geldart – a self-confessed denim fanatic – has created a ‘wall of denim’ in the shop which explains different styles of jeans on a large chalkboard.

As the buyer for the business, he regularly attends exhibitions across Europe and most recently visited Berlin for the Bread & Butter buyer’s event.

The store currently employs four people, with plans to increase that this year, while its website has enjoyed exponential growth in the short time since its launch, with month-on-month sales doubling each month since the turn of the year.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .