NEW CAKE SHOP IN SYDENHAM opening soon

[leenewham]

It's in Lower Sydenham in the old butchers.

Hopefully it will be a great asset to Sydenham, but they will have a tough job in that area, it will have to be something special to survive with such little footfall (I pass it every day, it's pretty quiet down there).

The shop front could have been lovely, but it's a shame they have boarded over the nice leaded glass above the main window and done some rather temporary repairs to the window. Time will tell. I hope it's good and a viable business created with people with passion and vision.

It's not open yet, there is a bit of paper in the window saying they will be opening. It's past Home Park near Bell Green.

[robbieduncan]

Shame it's not a general baker doing good quality breads with a good variety. The cake shop on the corner of Mayow Road already has cakes covered. But their break selection is embarringly poor. Lidl have the market sown up right now

[missT]

GOOD LUCK TO THEM !!!!

lets all support them and buy cake instead of complaining about the shop front...

Didn't we want less empty shops?

[Pally]

I'm not sure where the butchers was. Will go and have a look.

[leenewham]

Shops are not charities, they have to win custom, they have to compete.

I'm a small local business owner, and happen to think it's important to try to win custom. I didn't start and expect people to support me.

It's hard work. It's not easy.

I've worked with a lot of businesses on high streets, but some really are their own worst enemy, others just need a little advice and have turned things around and have been a success.

I think most people would support really good local businesses. I sincerely hope this is one.

[Pally]

I agree about being positive and supportive but I also agree with Lee that the shopfront, selling the business with your shop front and utilising parts of old shop fronts where appropriate are an important part of making a business a success!

[missT]

If you a business owner you will know How much time and money get into actually opening a shop .there is no need in putting business owners down before they even open up Which seem to happen a lot on this forum.
I'm sure they would appriciate some advice in person.

[sugahill cafe]

Maybe the new owners have plans for their frontage who knows? but Bloody ell give em a chance to open first i personally do not believe frontage is as important as the warmth felt once inside a shop...here is an example of a great local business where the frontage looks to have cost next to nothing

[Maria]

As a customer and an ex business owner I do know that its internal "warmth" is indeed crucial but that people will only experience it if they are motivated to come through the door in the first place: by the good design, or humour, or originality of the frontage and window displays.

Surely business welcome knowing what matters to the people they want to attract? Thanks to Lee now many of us now know about this new cake shop - now we need to be tempted in by the way it looks + feedback in places such as this Forum.

[stuart]

.there is no need in putting business owners down before they even open up Which seem to happen a lot on this forum

I have pointed out things businesses have done wrong or irritated me on this forum. I did it not to do them down - but the opposite. My business training enshrined "every complaint is a free gift". Good businesses will want to know why some people choose not to do business with them and if it is fixable.

I'm astonished when some business owners react negatively. What good does that do other than to justify your original perception? Perception is a key word. Business owners mostly do their best to present their business well. But often they are on the inside looking out. They don't sometimes see how they are being seen.

Good businesses want to know how bad they are. No business can't improve itself and benefit from it. Don't be so precious!

Stuart (hopefully helpfully).

[El Cid]

Signage is only one part of attracting customers. Location and what you are actually selling are more important.

I can't help but wonder whether a number of businesses that have recently opened in Sydenham have got these factors right. Ones that spring to mind are the children's shoe shop at the Sydenham end of Dartmouth Road, the Chinese restaurant that's not a Chinese restaurant and the off licence, both at the bottom end of Kirkdale, along with The Market Place cafe in Sydenham Road.

Running a small business is not easy. That's why you need to really do your research before beginning a venture.

[leenewham]

I think people see different things to what is intended on this forum.

I gave this new opening free publicity via this site (no-one else mentioned it), informing that a new shop is opening, hoping that it will be good but a few minor niggles about what appear to be poor repairs to the shop front which could put people off, especially as it's a shop selling food. I also pointed out that it will have to try hard to get around it's difficult position. I'm not sure if that's putting a business down, surely it's pointing out a truth?

I also said "I hope it's good and a viable business crated with people with passion and vision".

I actually think Agas Deli looks great by the way and go there quite a lot, even though I live in Lower Sydenham. I like the sign, it's a bit like deli labels, it's honest and it works with the window display and what they do outside. It's great business and is lovely inside.

Chris is right, shop front's don't have to cost much. Infact the ones where the most money has been spent, ripping out original features, new shop fronts etc is more expensive. It's often the case that the more than has been spent on a shop front, the worse they look. Billings wasn't expensive, I know Sugahill's wasn't and it looks good.

Once again I point to this post:
https://designedbygoodpeople.wordpress. ... ppearance/

I like Sugahill, as Chris and Yasmine know, they do fantastic paninis and hot chocolate. But if it looked really shabby, I may not have gone in in the first place. But it looks great, they put in a lot of effort to make the outside and inside good, it looks like they are really proud of his business. Which they should be, because they have a lot to be proud of and that pride reflects on both him and the area in general.

Making your business look like you are proud of what you do, be it online or on a high street, to give a good impression is a positive thing for both the business and the high street in general.

[louisecbrooks]

I've recently made the transition from business consultant/advisor to shop owner. I do understand why shop owners get defensive because you don't open a shop and think "I'm going to make this place look rubbish, and I'm going to deliver a rubbish product". Lets face it not many of us go into opening a shop in Sydenham and think its going to make our fortune, so we're probably fairly passionate about what we do. There is thought and reasoning behind why you make certain decisions, and often a lot of investment that has gone into the space. Thats not to say that businesses don't get it wrong, but you have to understand why shop owners prickle when faced with criticism/feedback. Having been on the receiving end I can tell you that sometimes the feedback you get is sound and useful, and sometimes people really are telling you how to suck eggs or really don't know what they're talking about, and that can be a pain.

In response to El Cid's comments, I know that Emmanuelle Marshall (the children's shoe shop) opened where they have done because they are placed between 4 primary and infants schools with a large number of others in close proximity. She had already built up a loyal customer base at ED Warehouse in East Dulwich, including us who used to make the trip there. Most local parents needing school shoes (which we do NEED at regular intervals) make the trip to East Dulwich to Barratts or Beckenham to Clarkes, so having a quality children's shoe shop on our doorstop is a godsend.

I run The Shop Revolution Marketplace. I had a previous relationship with the shop in that it was the site for one of the pop up shops in the SEE3 pop up shop scheme which I project managed. In sites that may appear to be less desirable you do have to work harder, but based on my background and experiences I felt well equipped for the challenges of this site. And I'm pleased to say that we're definitely moving in the right direction: we have an amazing amount of positive feedback, and a pretty strong customer base at a relatively early stage. The pop up shop scheme (and my subsequent project - TSR Marketplace) was based on the idea that putting the right business/proposition in an under-used space can bring it back to life. Just take a look at Alexandra Nurseries which on paper shouldn't work (because it isn't on a high street, and has relatively little footfall), but is now a destination. Just wait and see where Late Knights open to see if my theory holds true.

So basically providing feedback is great and useful for businesses, but don't assume they don't know what they are doing (yes, obviously some don't), and do bear in mind the blood, sweat and tears that have gone into getting them this far and that they may therefore be a little sensitive to criticism.

[Pally]

Maybe the new owners have plans for their frontage who knows? but Bloody ell give em a chance to open first i personally do not believe frontage is as important as the warmth felt once inside a shop...here is an example of a great local business where the frontage looks to have cost next to nothing

Cost very little but works .... That's the point that frontage is part of making a business work

[sugahill cafe]

Maybe the new owners have plans for their frontage who knows? but Bloody ell give em a chance to open first i personally do not believe frontage is as important as the warmth felt once inside a shop...here is an example of a great local business where the frontage looks to have cost next to nothing

Cost very little but works .... That's the point that frontage is part of making a business work

Exactly...My point was that the owners have not yet been given a chance, who knows what their plan is for the frontage.But as shown above you can sort out the frontage in a day or two with a couple of tins of paint maybe that is their plan.I popped in there today actually to say hello i was chatting to the builder doing work who i recognised from around the way judging by what i saw quite a bit of work to do inside first, lots of original marble shelving in there that would cost a fortune these days. Chris

[louisecbrooks]

Well said Chris. Sounds exciting! It's all going on at the wrong end of the high street you know ;o)

[stuart]

I do understand why shop owners get defensive because you don't open a shop and think "I'm going to make this place look rubbish, and I'm going to deliver a rubbish product".

Yes, are you identifying a mismatch in understanding? I regard them as business owners - it just happens the trade is retail and, as it is probably a company which is a different 'person' to the owner. One that can be bought and sold and operated on business principles? Part of that is understanding business as a discipline like any other. Enthusiasm is needed but is not usually sufficient for success.

Some years ago I interviewed many Sydenham Shop owners I would ask them what their USPs were. I didn't use those words because its management jargon they may not be familiar. But whatever you call it - if you don't have an understanding of who your shoppers are and why shoppers would choose your shop and buy from you rather than another - then you are just blundering around hoping by merely opening the door people will come and buy.

I have to say there were too many of these in Sydenham. A problem of small retail proprietors is they have very little business (as opposed to accounting) training. Many don't seem to want it. This at a time when Lidl & Aldi are scooping up the most highly qualified people to manage their stores. The results speak for themselves.

Major retailers usually know how to manage their online presence. Small businesses can do it well too and build success on it. Why even the traders here who don't probably depend on user reviews when buying a holiday (TripAdvisor) or trading on FleaBay. Every excellent business gets one or two bad reviews. And they usually respond if it justified - having learnt from the particular issue/incident. If it is a bad reviewer (as opposed to a bad review) then the system is essentially self correcting. They will get shouted down by good reviewers or even provoke good reviews.

As I said a bad review, a complaint, is a gift. Those that take offence are often losing an opportunity.

Going back to Lee's delicious shopfronts and even homemade ones. Do they answer the question of who are they designed to appeal to and what do they say to that group? That's close to a USP definition. The cost is irrelevant.

Stuart

[louisecbrooks]

You're preaching to the converted Stuart. I'm just pointing out why the business owners do get defensive. I'm not saying they shouldn't embrace that feedback for the good of their biz, but don't be surprised if they instead get irritated and defensive. They're only human.

[Pally]

Maybe the new owners have plans for their frontage who knows? but Bloody ell give em a chance to open first i personally do not believe frontage is as important as the warmth felt once inside a shop...here is an example of a great local business where the frontage looks to have cost next to nothing

Cost very little but works .... That's the point that frontage is part of making a business work

Exactly...My point was that the owners have not yet been given a chance, who knows what their plan is for the frontage.But as shown above you can sort out the frontage in a day or two with a couple of tins of paint maybe that is their plan.I popped in there today actually to say hello i was chatting to the builder doing work who i recognised from around the way judging by what i saw quite a bit of work to do inside first, lots of original marble shelving in there that would cost a fortune these days. Chris

Marble shelving, how fabulous.

[Andyapple]

How lucky we are to have Angie's wonderful flower stall on Sydenham Road. It looked beautiful yesterday. I bought hyacinths but wanted everything! She works so hard and it certainly pays off at times like this with Mother's Day tomorrow. Well done Angie. You are a treasure (and no shop front required!)