What's a shop that you can never see shutting down?

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proproctologist@reddit

I’ve never seen an off-licence close down, which is odd because every third store in my area is an off-licence and another opens each year

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platebandit@reddit

Somehow had a bargain booze shut down where I lived.

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Ranger_1302@reddit

Ooh, were you a vegan maverick?

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exitstrats@reddit

They sell a lot of body and haircare from brands which have a more "natural/green/sustainable" image. So shampoos, Skincare, toothpaste, period products, deodorant, etc. And then there's the food and supplements junk-- I mean products.

I won’t go in there since they gave me the third degree. I wanted some magnesium glycinate. They were out of stock. Wanted me to get oxide, because there’s ’no difference’. Didn’t feel like saying there’s no way in hell I’m taking a known laxative, and glycinate is completely different… they thought I was dumb lol.

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MrFeatherstonehaugh@reddit

not-quite-sure-what to not-quite-sure-whom

Magic beans to imbeciles?

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Plodo99@reddit

Health is wealth

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Finbarr82@reddit

Any company can be bought by venture capitalists and driven into the ground.

If Wilko and Poundland can go pop then it can happen to anyone

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No_Potato_4341@reddit (OP)

Poundland aren't out of business yet though

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dominicgrimes@reddit

they will be if Hilco get their hands on them

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GuyOnTheInterweb@reddit

Tesco - they seem to be doing much less messing about like Sainsbury's or Morrisons, and seem to resist the Aldi pressure.

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Chrolan1988@reddit

Different point but related, Tesco seem to be pushing the club card savings way harder than nectar and other memberships at the moment.

Most baskets / trollies in Tesco are now around 30% cheaper if you are a club card member…

I think we need to be wary of this as I am expecting in the medium to longer term future, these club card schemes we start to introduce a monthly subscription fee…

Now most people we pay as if they are saving £20-30 per weekly shop it seems warranted but the none member prices are heavily inflated.

Watch out for this as it’s coming…!

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jimicus@reddit

You've misunderstood what the clubcard scheme is about.

Firstly, those "discounts" aren't discounts at all. The regular price is stupidly expensive; the "discount" price is actually what they expect you to pay. In short, it's a way to force everyone to use clubcards.

Secondly, it's well established that the more you know about someone, the more accurately you can advertise to them. And the more accurately you can advertise to them, the more likely they are to buy something. No point in trying to persuade a cat owner to buy dog food, is there?

The Clubcard is the real life equivalent of all the online analytics that has you clicking "Accept Cookies" on every website - a way to get more and more information out of their customers and thus sell to them more effectively.

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sideone@reddit

Secondly, it's well established that the more you know about someone, the more accurately you can advertise to them

Firstly, those "discounts" aren't discounts at all. The regular price is stupidly expensive; the "discount" price is actually what they expect you to pay. That's how they're making you pay for it - "have a clubcard or pay a 30% premium".

Then why are Clubcard prices the same discount prices that every other supermarket offers?

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Betelgeaux@reddit

The joke is on them, I use a club card but I have no idea where it came from. I don't get letters from Tesco but I still get the "discount". Some poor guy will get club card offers for the shit I buy!

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CareerMilk@reddit

Honestly, your shopping habits and how you react to price changes is probably the more important data. Like I know they send us coupons via the app, but I never know what they are until I actually go to check out.

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Random_Guy_47@reddit

... people actually click accept cookies?

But the first month is FREE yay! 🎉🥳🎉

In their defence, it's not unclear, it states for each of the two shops, they even bold it.

The Two Big Shops Discount is capped at a £200 basket value (so a maximum of £20 discount) for each of the two shops falling within the relevant Subscription Period. So, for example, if you spend £240.00, by using one of your Two Big Shops Discount you will receive a maximum discount of £20.00 on that £240.00 basket (i.e. anything beyond the maximum limit of £200 of qualifying groceries will not be discounted).

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/zone/clubcard-plus-terms-and-conditions

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EVERYTHINGGOESINCAPS@reddit

TBF id sign up to this if it also applied to online groceries, but I'd never do a big shop in store now because of the convenience

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knight-under-stars@reddit

If it was online, I would bite their hand off. Our weekly shop is over £250 a week, so we would easily make the money back.

But among other reasons, because our weekly shop is over £250 there is no way in hell I'm doing my shopping in store.

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anoamas321@reddit

i use it becuase it safes me money, but i don't like the concept of tier pricing

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Chrolan1988@reddit

I had no idea this existed!! We are over halfway already!

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knight-under-stars@reddit

It's especially insidious as the discount you get as part of Clubcard Plus is only available in store which means you are far more likely spend more than you would have in an online shop.

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Zanki@reddit

Last time I went into Tesco the app was down and no one could access it. I have my card saved to Google pay so it went through. I got a bunch of random points from scanning for other people when they realised mine worked, with the blessing of a stressed employee who couldn't do anything to help. I explained how to add the card to their Google wallet so I'm guessing a ton of people did that when the app came back online.

That was really bad, there's no backup system if the app goes down. People have to pay full price or leave their stuff behind.

I also won't be surprised if Tesco go this route, but I can also see them collapsing hard if everyone decides it's ridiculous and go shop elsewhere. It would be suicide to do that right now.

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Willy-Sshakes@reddit

Also my partner got this Tesco thing where you get 10% off 2 shops a month and that helps with the club card as well.

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TW1103@reddit

I read a report the other day that Tesco's clubcard prices are seriously fucking up the economy projections. I feel like the government have to step in and do something about it

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CareerMilk@reddit

I feel like the government have to step in and do something about it

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Ok-Salary3550@reddit

at the cost of also giving Tesco all your valuable shopping data on top of it.

Oh no, not my shopping data! That has so much value to me!

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GavinF83@reddit

Are non clubcard holders paying a premium or are clubcard holders getting a discount? I shop in multiple supermarkets and I don’t really find the Tesco base price to be any more expensive than say Sainsbury’s.

The assumption seems to be that if the clubcard discounts were scrapped then everyone would get their shopping cheaper but that’s almost certainly not the case. It just means everyone will pay the full price.

Tesco via various means make money from people taking out a clubcard. Therefore to encourage people to take it out they offer subscribers a discount. Personally I’m happy to subscribe to such an offer and hand over some of my data in return for a discount. If you’re not and would rather not follow such a scheme that’s your choice but expect to pay full price. However people shouldn’t be so deluded to think that if they complain enough and get it scrapped they’ll save money. They won’t, they’ll just spoil it for others as typically happens with such issues.

Whether it’s worth taking out the monthly subscription option will depend on the individual and it’s down to them to work out any potential savings.

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BobbieMcFee@reddit

They're happy to be paid the lower price. In the end, today are two answers that come to the same thing.

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GavinF83@reddit

I’m not really sure what point you’re trying to make. Without the clubcard discount people won’t be paying the lower price across the board.

I was curious about my original question so I jumped on Tesco and Sainsburys websites to compare. I looked up 1kg chicken thighs to start with, same price on both. I then looked up Bisto gravy, same price on both.

I then looked up a packet of Cadburys buttons which produced an interesting result. The ordinary price on both is £1.75. However with a clubcard you can get them for £1.50. It’s the same story with the dairy milk buttons dessert which was next to it on the search results which has a standard price of £1.15 on both, except with a clubcard you pay 80p.

So despite what people are saying about Tesco inflating their prices it seems after some quick research the standard prices are identical or at least comparable to Sainsbury’s and owning a clubcard does offer you a discount over the standard price.

Most baskets / trollies in Tesco are now around 30% cheaper if you are a club card member…

When they introduce their subscription models to access things like club card prices they will only become more sustainable for the future.

Tesco are much much bigger than most people realise. They have 28% market share of grocery (just the Tesco branded stores); the next biggest retailer has 15%. They own One Stop convenience stores and MFG petrol garages. They own the Booker Group which supplies Londis, Premier and Budgens stores and also has a catering business and a wine and spirits business that supply restaurants, pubs, bars, hotels etc. They’re also a global business. They’re basically every food and drink company’s biggest account in the UK.

As the internet generation grows older it could be that physical 'shops' are no longer required.

The business itself will always be needed, but it's absolutely not essential for them to need a high street shop.

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Key_Milk_9222@reddit

How would that work? Amazon sends you an embalming kit?

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poke_pants@reddit

You don't need a shop front to arrange all that.

The businesses will obviously survive forever, but the post is about "shops".

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mcginge3@reddit

I think due to the nature of needing a funeral directors, I don’t think the physical branches would die out completely. While some people would rather click a few buttons and have everything sorted while grieving, a lot would rather have someone go through all the options and discuss every little detail in case they forget anything.

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AnOriginalId@reddit

Until the funeral, this is usually where you or your loved ones will be prepared for burial and kept. Prior to the funeral you can usually visit to see the body. We were invited to leave items in the coffin as well if we wanted.

This is at the co-op funeral directors (yes, it’s the same co-op as the overpriced supermarkets and banks) in-between Home Bargains and Peter Jones on our high street.

So I guess physical funeral directors will always be a thing as they need somewhere to keep the bodies until the funeral.

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Moreghostthanperson@reddit

I think there’s something to be said for the face to face aspect when it comes to planning a loved ones funeral. They can offer sympathy and comfort and an overall personalised experience in a way booking a funeral online wouldn’t.

That said, I can’t see why both options can’t exist as some people may prefer the less hassle online approach even if it does seem a little cold.

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poke_pants@reddit

Weirdly, it's a bit like buying a car. Some people hate the idea of dealing with a salesperson in a dealership so are happy to order blind online, but some people thrive on that.

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rainz_gainz@reddit

Never thought of a funeral directors being a high street shop but I suppose it is.

concretepigeon@reddit

They have an advantage but it doesn’t mean they can’t possibly fall out of favour.

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DasharrEandall@reddit

They got through the Age of Sigmar debacle and are doing better than ever. Every so often they do an edition change that basically forces their customers to re-buy their armies and books or GTFO, but enough players stick with them (or get replaced by new players - that store network is great outreach to bring in new youngsters). It's not entirely impossible that they'll do something that drives away enough of their playerbase to seriously damage their business, but it's unlikely.

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Much-Fall-9515@reddit

Doubtful been around since the 80s and not even GW releasing a new product affected 40k, they will be fine

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Harrry-Otter@reddit

They’ve hit on the perfect target market.

It’s a bit of a nerdy hobby. Nerds usually have a lot of disposable income since they’ve got good jobs. They tend to be quite obsessive about their hobbies. They’re less likely to spend big on other stuff.

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WantsToDieBadly@reddit

In the period, we opened, including relocations, 30 stores. After closing 8 stores, our total number of stores at the end of the period was 548.

So that's a net gain for 22 stores.

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Player_Panda@reddit

Having brick and mortar stores does help bring visibility to the hobby. Giving free demos to people helps new blood understand and make them more likely to get into the hobby. The stores might not be making bank but they aren't really there for that purpose. Kind of why they are usually small outlets.

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NewCrashingRobot@reddit

I agree, and i like brick and mortar stores. But unfortunately, even in a year where sales at these stores are rising, GW still had a net loss of 8 shops.

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ATSOAS87@reddit

There were a lot of shops flogging overly expensive HDMI cables when HD TVs first started to reach mass market.

Sithfish@reddit

I learned the other day they are in the FTSE 100.

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Low-Confidence-1401@reddit

I can see games workshop eventually selling licences to print models. They need to work out a way they can continue to generate revenue when people can just create models on blender and print them out.

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Doobalicious69@reddit

It's no surprise. Their plastic figures are insanely profitable; they cost peanuts to make. When you add on the fact that their main money printer (Warhammer) regularly has rules updates and new codices, the average Warhammer player has to invest to keep up, if they are playing competitively.

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Bumpy2017@reddit

Really? I always got the impression they were one sneeze from bankruptcy

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Kriegsmarine777@reddit

The company or individual retailers? Cos the company GW just hit the FTSE 100 this year, and seems to be going strength to strength.

Individual retailers is tougher though, official GW/Warhammer shops are probably mostly loss leaders to maintain a high street presence, but independent stores that stock their stuff seem to go boom and bust a lot. I think the issue there is lots of people think they can run a store, possibly just out of love for the hobby/community, only to find that running a shop is a lot more complicated (and expensive) than they think.

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Tao626@reddit

I think the issue there is lots of people think they can run a store, possibly just out of love for the hobby/community, only to find that running a shop is a lot more complicated (and expensive) than they think.

To me, it seems like these shops moreso overestimate the market interest, especially when it comes to other games, because most of the independent mini shops generally aren't GW focused...Initially.

The life cycle for most of these shops generally goes like this: - They open with a focus on non-GW products, perhaps not even stocking them at all. They're 100% sure that people would like other non-GW games if they tried them, especially their favourite non-GW game. The problem is, these games aren't well known...But they're here to solve that! Community stuff happening all the time and it's everything BUT GW. Go to a GW store if you want that, normie, we play Alien the board game here! - They stock some GW stuff and can special order anything from GW in if you want it, but it's still primarily everything else. Just, yano, some guy came in asking if they had any 40k stuff, so they started getting it in basically just for him. He doesn't collect Space Marines, they're just there in case he wants some. Oh, and they do Fantasy groups on Friday, 40k on Saturdays, Age of Sigmar on Sunday. Just, yano, that guy came in. - They stock primarily Warhammer now. There was absolutely lots of interest in all the other games but, yano, Warhammer is the biggest for a reason. No, they've not sold their values down the drain, don't suggest that. If they can get people in the shop via Warhammer, that's when they strike with a packet of "Dungeons and Doggo's"! - Closing down sale. Business was doing great, its all the councils fault because rent has suddenly gone up coincidentally within the period we weren't selling much. Visit our online store! - Online store doesn't work.

If people want things other than Warhammer, they get it online. There just isn't enough local interest in the footfall a physical shop gets, especially one that specialises in miniatures.

Even if people want Warhammer, they'll go online. Even if you go into a store to order something in, they do it via the same online functionality you can use at home, so just do it at home and have it delivered to your home. The GW shops exist solely because it's Saturday morning, you've ran out of a thing and you want to do it today.

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Kriegsmarine777@reddit

Yeah this is definitely a factor. The independents I go to that have stuck around long enough always stock GW, Magic and Pokémon (and XWing before it got taken out and shot). Without these people just don't buy there.

Saying that, I do know plenty of people who go out of their way to support their local shops, including local GW's. Part of it will be convenience as like you say, you can get that thing now, or on your lunch break on Friday before a bank holiday weekend (like I'm about to do), but I think there is definitely an undercurrent of people who want to buy stuff to keep that shop there, rather than a charity/vape/barber shop springing up in it's place.

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No-Garbage9500@reddit

My local one is fantastic and this is purely down to the store manager: he's enthusiastic, makes things fun, remembers you, not at all pushy and the store is always busy - and it's just him.

I sort of assumed they were all like that, until I went to one about 10 miles away. There were a team of about 4 very bored people who, as soon as I walked in, sort of lurked about following me asking weird awkward questions that they obviously thought were engaging, but were frankly a bit uncomfortable. Eventually I just left because it wasn't a nice store to be in!

My local guy is always sharing posts for nearby stores trying to find new store managers. It takes a particular type of character that is a fairly unique blend of skills that I guess most are unlucky enough to never fill.

Doesn't seem to do the company any harm though, they're flying.

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Kriegsmarine777@reddit

Yeah I've moved away now but my previous local was amazing, went from 1 staff member to 3 when I moved, 4 now, and they've always been great, super friendly, super chatty and very supportive, I always pop back in when I'm visiting the folks. Definitely can be hit and miss with stores (I usually pop into one when I'm traveling about to grab a book) though I think trending upwards overall.

It's definitely a unique position though, a mix of salesperson, hobbyist, teacher and a few other bits. Plus dealing with us, and y'know, us hobbyists aren't always the most social of creatures!

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callendoor@reddit

lol, they have posted record profits every year for the last 9 years and counting. They were the best-performing company on the entire London Stock Exchange. They have a market cap in the billions.

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poke_pants@reddit

Yes but we are talking about shops, not companies, important distinction there. We have no idea if the stores are a major contributor to that profit, it may be that they move to online only in the future.

Nintendo are super rich but don't feel the need to have a high street presence, in fact extend that to gaming full stop. 20 years ago it was unimaginable that virtually every game shop would close, but here we are, yet the industry itself is still bigger than the movie industry.

Rainbvw@reddit

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mronionbhaji@reddit

Quality has gone to the dogs. Their "burgers" are worse than 1990s school lunches, and their fish finger wraps are something a 12 year old could put together.

The actual half decent stuff is now no longer good value.

Can only see Greggs going downhill from here

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Darthblaker7474@reddit

Who the fuck is going to Greggs for a burger?

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Jetstream-Sam@reddit

I'm surprised to learn they even sell them. Doesn't seem like their market. Maybe they're competing with mcdonalds for worst burger or something

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Namiweso@reddit

Had to double check you were on about Greggs then. Neither are exactly something you’d go to Greggs for specifically though.

Also Greggs has never been high quality. It’s just been consistent. The sandwiches and baguettes are naff but you know what you’re getting every time.

Whilst I share this sentiment of "how do you think their products are so cheap", it's not exactly a secret that expensive retailers like Nike, Adidas etc pay next to nothing for their products either. Neither seem ok to you and me but if I had to sadly put myself in the shoes of one of these Bangladeshi factory workers, I think I'd rather 2p a day making £2 clothes than 2p a day making £200 clothes.* I can't explain why.

Peartree1@reddit

Source?

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properwickedness@reddit

It takes less than 5 seconds to google. Do it yourself.

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Thaddeus_Valentine@reddit

What they're paying - if they're paying at all - will vary massively from location to location.

When I was a kid, in the 70s, my mum used to get a lot of my clothes from a local factory shop where they mostly made clothes for M&S.

This was near Bridgend in South Wales.

They had factories all over the UK back then.

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throwpayrollaway@reddit

My mum worked in one near Bolton Lancashire. There was still a working cotton mill at the end of street until some time in the 1990s, again near Bolton.

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EmmaInFrance@reddit

I'm from a family of dressmakers, and as well as being taught how to sew from a very early age, I knit, crochet and handspin.

I have read a lot about textiles and textile history over the years.

It saddens me to see how little people value the work involved in making clothing these days.

I suppose that it's the same with everything we consume now.

It's all made by 'others', far away overseas where we don't have to think about it.

John Lewis.

Basically the only department store left worth the name but has the benefit of a really strong online presence, a complimentary business in Waitrose that tends to be stronger when JL ks weaker (and vice versa). They also have the benefit of a lot of their estate being freehold which makes it cheaper to run.

Being employee owned also in theory means they're able to make better long term decisions than arbitrarily needing to exceed last year's numbers by x%

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SceneDifferent1041@reddit

Um.... Who's going to break it to this guy.

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stormy_councilman@reddit

Please enlighten us?

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SceneDifferent1041@reddit

The company who had to close most their shops? The same company who can't afford to price match anymore? Also have you seen a Waitrose recently? They are running a skeleton crew.....

It is not a healthy company.

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Avon_Man@reddit

Break what?

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Ok-Salary3550@reddit

Being employee owned also in theory means they're able to make better long term decisions than arbitrarily needing to exceed last year's numbers by x%

Sorry but this just isn't true.

The real cheap end of the market is buying your glasses online. I was quotes £250 for glasses from Specsavers, which is quite midrange but still a lot of money. Even getting my old glasses reglazed they wanted £200. Even buying the cheapest glasses they had (the ones that are free if you get them on prescription), adding in lenses put them at £100+.

Got two pairs for £120 from Asda, and then discovered SpeckyFourEyes, which charged me a total of £20 for new lenses in my old Specsavers frames. If you know your prescription and measurements it's possible to make massive savings.

I feel sorry for shoppers who are still solely reliant high street stores, especially those on tight budgets. I think SS knows it has a certain percentage of clients who have no option but to use them, and that's why it offers so little in the way of budget options. I don't care what brand my glasses are - I just want to see clearly.

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Moreghostthanperson@reddit

One of my kids wears glasses and will likely need to for the rest of their life. It’s not so bad at the moment as their glasses are free, but I’m dreading once they turn 18 and the opticians start wanting hundreds of pounds for one pair, I will obviously be paying for their first pair or two until they can support themselves and pay for their own prescription. I think I’m definitely going to look into getting hold of the prescription and ordering online.

Only downside I can see is at the opticians when you try them on in store before you leave they can adjust the frames so they fit better. I’m not sure if they’d do it for glasses bought elsewhere.

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LiliWenFach@reddit

You can adjust some aspects of the fit yourself- there are videos showing how to use a hairdryer to bend the arms slightly. I've done it with a recent pair. Once you have a pair that fit well you can measure them and buy exactly the same size online.

My plan for my next prescription is to get a really good few pairs from a high street optician, get them perfectly fitted - and when my prescription changes I will get the frames 'reglazed' (new lenses) by an online optician. My current Converse ones are still like new, even though they are 4-5 years old.

It's so wasteful that high street opticians treat frames as single-use and price reglazing so high that it discourages re-using perfectly good frames. The anti-scratch coating also flakes off after a few years. I'm convinced there's an element of built-in obsolence to keep us buying new glasses every two years.

And I totally understand the worry about affordability of glasses. My daughter is disabled and gets her prosthetic legs from the NHS. The thought of Reform getting in and introducing their insurance-based, American style health care has kept me awake at nights with anxiety, because I know that prosthetic limbs cost thousands. I worry how she will be able to afford it in the future, and that one day she will be left literally unable to walk.

It's crazy that things as essential as glasses, mobility aids and prosthetic limbs aren't a given right. I often wonder, what would happen if someone on the breadline broke their glasses and couldn't afford a replacement pair? If I lost my glasses I wouldn't be able to drive or work at all. Who decided that we have to pay for glasses?!

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Moreghostthanperson@reddit

This is some good information, will definitely look into at home methods for resizing glasses when the time comes. Also agree completely about opticians tracking frames as single use, I understand if for children because they grow. But for adults it should be encouraged to just get the lenses changed. With the big fuss about single use plastics it’s surprising this hasn’t become a ‘thing’ yet.

I had to look them up. I’ve never heard of them. They seem to focus on opening stores in relatively small towns.

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Used_Environment_356@reddit

Massive store in Bridlington over 4 floors and home to the famous steak pie in their roof top bay view cafe.

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AChurchForAHelmet@reddit

If you're a hobbyist it's often the only place in the town centre you can pick craft stuff up these days

Art stuff is in the works, knitting gear is in boyes

Cheap clothes too

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Choice-Standard-6350@reddit

I love love Boyes. Lots of old fashioned things you can only get there.

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Electronic-Trade-504@reddit

Toys r us

Woolworths

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anjou_aviatrix@reddit

Boots. It's only real competitor is Superdrug and I don't see Superdrug outdoing them any time soon.

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No_Potato_4341@reddit (OP)

Couldn't you make the same argument for the other way round though? I feel like superdrug wouldn't shut down anytime soon even with boots competing with them.

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anjou_aviatrix@reddit

I suppose so, I just feel like if one was going to win out over the other it would be Boots. I go to Boots all the time for various things, but Superdrug only if I'm passing really. Suppose it depends where you live though.

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Broccoli--Enthusiast@reddit

The random electronics repair shop in my town

Never seen anyone go in, the window has sun bleached CD-r boxes,, keyboards, mice etc from 20+ years ago, but the dude is there 5 days a week, always with big luxury cars

I don't think he actually repairs things but he's definitely getting somebody their fix...

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AutoPanda1096@reddit

Woolworths, I can't imagine a high street without them.

George_Salt@reddit

Never say never.

There was a time that people would have assumed this about Woolworths, WH Smith, Debenhams, etc.

Primark isn't invulnerable, there's currently a market for cheaply made low quality two-wears-to-landfill fashion, but is that a secure niche forever?

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DeapVally@reddit

Although not English, the example Sears set is also a grim reminder of how even the biggest in the world can fail.

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white1984@reddit

Also Hudson's Bay Company and Galleria Kaufhof.

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LimeInternational856@reddit

WH Smith strictly speaking isn't disappearing. They sold their high street stores to Hobbycraft's owners and will be called TG Jones but they'll still be around in airports and railway stations.

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George_Salt@reddit

The WH Smith name is disappearing from the High Street. Modella are going to have to make substantial changes to the WH Smith model to make TG Jones work. The profitability of the High St stores has been in rapid decline.

sjjskqoneiq9Mk@reddit

It's far from irrelevant it's had a huge surge in popularity and has been a stable business for years

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TheScottishMoscow@reddit

A huge surge in popularity as demonstrated by this downward trend over 5 years or by the fact they are in the news due to their inability to process online orders?

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sjjskqoneiq9Mk@reddit

5 years isn't decades.

A cyber attack is hardly Thier fault and they weren't the only ones hit.

£840mill in profits is far from irrelevant

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Embarrassed-End-3223@reddit

That’s a bit like claiming it’s not your fault you got robbed despite leaving the door open. True nobody should be robbing you but it’s your own fault for leaving the door open.

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sjjskqoneiq9Mk@reddit

It's more like having all the top notch security but not checking all your blond spot regularly.

Millennials have ages into M&S.

That and for a man they are one of the few places where it isn't just a few racks at the back of the store for mensware

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Specialist-Web7854@reddit

Their food hall will never be irrelevant!

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rmulberryb@reddit

It's sustained by boomer rage

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No_Potato_4341@reddit (OP)

They have shut a few down tbf over the years but I agree. They will probably stay open for a while yet.

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Viking18@reddit

Screwfix. Hell, add Travis Perkins to that as well.

(That's if they are not just laundering fronts)

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ConsciouslyIncomplet@reddit

Woolworths - cornerstone of British shopping!

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cooky561@reddit

food shops, people for some reason hate shopping for food online (Perhaps it's the inane substitutions?)
Anything that sells cars, it's very unwise to buy a used car without being able to see it first
Large shopping parks out of town, they're always crazy busy.

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BigGrinJesus@reddit

There's this shop in my town where they sell clothes for babies and toddlers. I went in there to buy some shoes for my 2 year old and the staff were packaging online orders when they weren't serving customers in the shop. I think that's the way forward. 90% online sales with a shop front for people who need something last minute or want to see the item before buying it.

Another place in my town that seems like it will last is the escape room. I think younger generations are more interested in going out to do activities together than they are in going to the pub.

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porkchopbun@reddit

Keycuk@reddit

I am not surprised, i reckon this comment is going to have a string of horror stories from Kwik fit by tomorrow. brake light permanently on is also a sign the car is stolen. Some cars put the brake lights on if a car is stolen

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jimicus@reddit

I failed an MOT because they'd fitted a directional tyre backwards.

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Keycuk@reddit

Classic

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ringo_scar@reddit

My wife got pulled over by the police because her brake light was always on (they thought she might be drunk and keeping a foot on the brake while driving).

No_Potato_4341@reddit (OP)

Tbf I have a big asda next to me but there is also a farmfoods next to it which is never busy. I have no idea how the farmfoods manages to survive but it does.

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StereotypicallBarbie@reddit

We have a farm foods too! But it’s In an odd location right next to a dentist and set back out the way.. so if you didn’t know it was there you’d never know it even existed! I think I’ve been in there maybe 3 times at most over the 10 years it’s been there and I’ve been the only one in the shop.

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Vivid-Blacksmith-122@reddit

yeah I would have said that about Woolworths too but

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jlelvidge@reddit

Greggs

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Minimum_Possibility6@reddit

Had a family member work there in 2008.

They were bordering on collapsing they didn't have the money to pay the farmers or the truck drivers. They had a whole team who job was to bed borrow cajol the haulers to deliver the stock with a promise of being paid.

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Spank86@reddit

It was a joke.

Technomongoose@reddit

Those screen repair/phone/vape shops that will have like 5 other identical shops next to it. They don't have customers anyway they just money laundering places

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Responsible_Trash199@reddit

Jewellery shops and ADs (Authorised Dealers) like Goldsmiths

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SignificantIsopod797@reddit

WHSmith: the fact it’s still going means they’re doing something right despite nobody every shopping in there, the products being outrageously overpriced, and the special offers bordering on psychotic (do you want two dairy milk bars for £27?)

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jimicus@reddit

The high street branches have been losing money for years (and to be honest, would have been a lot longer if they hadn't adopted an aggressive policy of "do not repair anything that is broken or worn out"). They're only making money where they have a captive market - service stations, hospitals, airports, that sort of place.

They've sold all the high street branches while retaining the captive market branches.

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