From humble beginnings selling cards out of a car boot, store owner Sean Austin has now been trading for 11 years, specialising in cards, stationery and “dog”. He works in a team of 3 running his award-winning store, Austin & Co in the town of Great Malvern, stocking brands such as Castelli, Vent, Designworks, Legami, Gallison, Kaweco, and Ohh Deer.
Can you give us a little introduction about your shop?
2010 we were just a little dot, a twinkle in the eye. Trading as Cardiology, we sold cards at car boots and outdoor markets throughout the Midlands. Then, on April 21st 2011, the dot became Austin & Co when we opened our first shop. In 2012, we moved to larger premises in a prime location in Great Malvern. We continue to outgrow our premises and took the step of emerging out of the 3rd UK lockdown in 2021 in a brand new location in an iconic Malvern building. The relocations are a positive sign of our growth and our success.
Many items at Austin & Co are not generally found on the high street, we source most of our products from small British designers and always look for new products to complement our existing range. Once inside our small but beautifully stocked shop you’ll find a range of cards, gifts, and stationery to suit everyday and special occasions. Whether you’re looking for that special card to show you care, beautiful invitations and pens, or just need some writing paper, you’ll find what you’re looking for at Austin & Co. The difference between us and many other conventional card shops is our gift offer. While others may go down the scarf, candle, and jewellery route, we sell what we know and love – dog accessories. From collars and leads to dog treats and toys, we’ve tapped in to one of the fastest growing areas in retail that really sets us apart from the competition.
This is our 11th year. We could have gone further, and quicker. But I am debt free and solvent, and that has helped us to remain a healthy entity, even during a global pandemic. Our mission is to be different to the homogeneity that you find on the high street, but not too scary to deter our local customer base which is strong and growing. We are seen as the go-to place in town for cards.
What made you get into the stationery industry?
In short, the 2008 credit crunch. My previous career included being a corporate librarian and business researcher for law firms and FMCG companies (including a stint in the Marketing Department at WHSmith Head Office in Swindon). Law was hit hard at first by the recession and contracts became less and less. To supplement my income, I began to sell greeting cards at car boots. After many cold and early starts to the day over a couple of years, I decided having a permanent shop was the way forward.
What is the best part of your job?
I joke that I miss monthly pay packets, paid holiday and even the occasional ‘duvet day’, but it’s true that there’s nothing more satisfying then working for yourself; this is the longest period I’ve been in the same job throughout my career. We may be Austin & Co, but the business is very much Mr Austin. We are a sole trader in every sense of the term. I’m the CEO, Finance Officer, Buyer, Visual Merchandiser, Sales, Stockroom Lad, IT Department, and Tea Boy. I roll the buck, but the buck also stops with me.
What’s your favourite industry memory?
To win the RETAS award in 2021 for the Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer in the Midlands & Wales was the pinnacle of not only the year, but the previous decade; especially to be recognised by your peers for your work and effort during a particularly stressful trading period following on from the Covid pandemic.
Can you tell us three interesting facts about your shop?
- We’ve been voted the UK’s most dog friendly shop 5 years in a row!
- The shop’s current location is in what was the lingerie department of a former department store – I still get enquiries.
- The straight lines and order of the shop? I suffer with OCD; though I do prefer to call it Obsessive Compulsive Order.
What is your favourite stationery product of all time?
This is probably the hardest question to answer. There was my first ever BIC 4-colour ballpoint, a treasured tin of Caran D’ache colouring pencils, or when I discovered my first orange Rhodia notepad on a school exchange trip to France in 1981. But it must be my Rotring drawing board that took up half the space of my childhood bedroom but got me through years of technical drawing lessons at school.
What is your current favourite stationery product that customers can find in your store?
For its history and the story behind the brand, and for its affordable Italian quality, it must be a Castelli diary. It’s been my diary of choice for some 10 years now but more importantly, there’s a waiting list of returning customers every year eager to get their hands on it.
If you had to give one piece of advice to another store owner, what would it be?
I always look at the return on investment of any decision, and every square foot of the shop must earn its space. I also move things on if they are not working – stock control is paramount. As they say, you can’t sell what the customer can’t see and there’s no point having a stockroom full of stock.
We are different; even amongst others in the indie card shop family we are different. I joke often that we don’t do candles, the mainstay of many a card shop, but I was always told to sell what you know, and my knowledge of candles, jewellery and pashminas is limited. Hence, we are cards, stationery, and dog. And customers like that; in that we have knowledge of what we sell whether it is explaining the weight of the paper used in a greeting card or the best dog treats for your pooch.
To find out more about Austin & Co, make sure to check out their website here.
