Independent shops are thriving in Britain, offering hope for the global retail industry. “We can’t compete with Amazon on price,” says an independent bookseller. “But we offer something they don’t.”
Then came the coronavirus, decimating bricks-and-mortar markets afresh.
Their demise contrasts with the bloom of independents in Leeds and elsewhere. The pandemic created a wave of suddenly idled workers, many of whom decided to expand part-time interests or pursue an entrepreneurial itch. Meantime, some consumers, forced by lockdowns to stay close to home, started to rely on local alternatives.
Their range of British and international candy is the biggest in the country, they claim, and they deliver candies in pizza boxes—a presentational twist they say plays well with young consumers. The business earned about £400,000 in revenue last year, and should do significantly better this year, the two say.
The U.S., too, has seen pockets of strength for independent stores. While national data on independent retail openings isn’t available, some individual sectors have seen an explosion. The number of independent bookstores, for instance, hit 2,496 in May, according to the American Booksellers Association, 30% higher than in 2019.
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