How do WH SMith stay in business?

[Doseone]

Hey on Wye's just up the road, they've got a couple of bookshops, can't remember if they've got a WH Smiths though.

Hay is lovely, we go there a lot, and I'm there at least once a week with work. It's perfect if you want to find a first edition of Fly Fishing by JR Hartley, but not quite the same market that WH Smith are aiming at.

Sadly, many of the Hay bookshops are not a sustainable business model but continue in business through the personal means and philanthropy of their owners, for whom it is as much (possibly more) of a hobby than a money making exercise.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Hay is lovely, we go there a lot, and I'm there at least once a week with work. It's perfect if you want to find a first edition of Fly Fishing by JR Hartley, but not quite the same market that WH Smith are aiming at.

Sadly, many of the Hay bookshops are not a sustainable business model but continue in business through the personal means and philanthropy of their owners, for whom it is as much (possibly more) of a hobby than a money making exercise.

I used to like the crime book shop and the castle was always good for Ronald Searle books.

 

[Doseone]

I used to like the crime book shop and the castle was always good for Ronald Searle books.

An afternoon on my own in Hay on Wye is one of my guilty pleasures, just browsing the bookshops by myself. It's a lovely bike ride from here too and there are nice cafes.

 

[Profpointy]

Hay is lovely, we go there a lot, and I'm there at least once a week with work. It's perfect if you want to find a first edition of Fly Fishing by JR Hartley, but not quite the same market that WH Smith are aiming at.

Sadly, many of the Hay bookshops are not a sustainable business model but continue in business through the personal means and philanthropy of their owners, for whom it is as much (possibly more) of a hobby than a money making exercise.

Have to say, i was hugely disapointed by the book scene in Hay on Wye - a lot of rather poor, and overpriced stock. Anything vaguely nice was very expensive indeed. And I buy a lot of books - perhaps the biggest line item on the non-essentials part of the accounts.

 

[Doseone]

Have to say, i was hugely disapointed by the book scene in Hay on Wye - a lot of rather poor, and overpriced stock. Anything vaguely nice was very expensive indeed. And I buy a lot of books - perhaps the biggest line item on the non-essentials part of the accounts.

I can't really comment on the prices as I'm not a collector and I don't really know what is and isn't good value. Actually, you raise a good point, I'm not sure whether Hay attracts serious collectors? Booths bookshop is like stepping in to something on Diagon Alley though and Richard Booth is the self appointed King of Hay.

 

[MrJamie]

I went in there a couple of months ago to buy a green pen, I can't remember the last time I went in there before that, let alone bought anything. I never use them at services etc, always way too expensive.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

they stay in business as they have retail outlets in all the main railway stations & airports.that keeps them afloat

A few ferry terminals and motorway service stations too I bet (EDIT: It has been pointed out most of the business they get is from the High Street, although, sadly not my High Street).

I always like them for the variety of magazines they sell. Unfortunately they seemed to close a lot of stores a few years back, including my local one on Dumbarton High Street. It was a good store actually with quite a lot of variety, and the High Street is much the worse for its demise (the premises is now a Poundland). Unless I get magazines online or through the post, I now have to travel to either Helensburgh or Glasgow just to get anything as nowhere else locally normally has as much variety as they did, not even the 'Shopping Centre' at Clydebank.

 

[Archie_tect]

Diary for my mum at Christmas... [fair swap].

 

[Archie_tect]

A few ferry terminals and motorway service stations too I bet (EDIT: It has been pointed out most of the business they get is from the High Street, although, sadly not my High Street).

I always like them for the variety of magazines they sell. Unfortunately they seemed to close a lot of stores a few years back, including my local one on Dumbarton High Street. It was a good store actually with quite a lot of variety, and the High Street is much the worse for its demise (the premises is now a Poundland). Unless I get magazines online or through the post, I now have to travel to either Helensburgh or Glasgow just to get anything as nowhere else locally normally has as much variety as they did, not even the 'Shopping Centre' at Clydebank.

Always preferred John Menzies....

 

[asterix]

FTFY

I can guarantee that I don't give a hoot about your BS. I just like you to work just to verify it.

C'mon Vernon, get back into bed then get out the right side.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

A wee box the size a pigeon could live in.

So doocot is a regional variation of dovecote? I've never seen it before either.

Anyhow, as you were...

 

[PeteXXX]

I often use WH Smiths in the Weston Favell centre, Northampton. It's on two levels and is much quicker for getting to the upper floor (or down, if I'm already up) than using escalators full of shopping trolleys, idiots and children.
Mind you, I can't remember ever buying anything from them.

 

[Bromptonaut]

Branches in central London always seem busy though the ratio of browsers to buyers is pretty high. As well as magazines, books and stationary they have a reasonable range of IT 'distress purchase' stuff like printer cartridges, mice etc.

A lot of the station and M/way branches are franchises. Northampton station's branch is operated by SSP along with the coffee shop. Used to be a family business keeping decent stuf like flapjacks!!

 

[Archie_tect]

[QUOTE 2699496, member: 259"]Aren't you supposed to pronounce it as John Mingies?[/quote]
I did.

 

[snorri]

[QUOTE 2699496, member: 259"]Aren't you supposed to pronounce it as John Mingies?[/quote]
Errrr... not quite, see the poem....
http://www.johnmenziesplc.com/history.aspx
In fact there are regional variations in the pronunciation