Store Spotlight: Rye Health Store
Georgina Woods, owner of Rye Health Store, talks to Rosie Greenaway about the power of community loyalty when faced with the competition of big business.
Holland & Barrett (H&B) moves next door to your indie health store, then quickly closes its doors permanently, unable to make a success of the site. What do you do?
If you’re anything like Georgina Woods, owner of Rye Health Store, you seize the chance to take over H&B’s premises, strengthening your business and celebrating the spirit of a town which shuns chain retail.
Local popularity
Opened in 1982, Rye Health Store had always been popular with locals but shortly after Woods took ownership in 2018 their devotion was tested when H&B homed in on the High Street. Planting their flag on that particular mountain felt ‘100% intentional’ – and from conversations with fellow indies across the country it transpired that H&B had done the same to many others.
“I think they look for a prime spot as close as possible to an existing health store.” But having retained the same customers for four decades Rye Health Store held strong, with old-fashioned loyalty winning out over loyalty card points.
The swift takeover doubled the store’s square footage. With a wider shopfront and large stock room at her disposal, Woods was able to fulfil her dream of creating a therapy room at the back for bioenergetic testing, homeopathy and massage. The extra space also plays host to pop-ups with local producers, including a recent tasting of ceremonial grade cacao which was popular with customers. “If there’s a new product, we try to get samples and tastings. A few of the reps from the cosmetics companies help people with skincare.”
Where Rye Health Store was limited by a ‘narrow and thin’ layout, the new site offers more room for shoppers to browse and make spontaneous purchases of trending items. “I’ve noticed that people come in with magazine clippings – which is great, because then I learn.”
Ahead of the game
“The top thing now is definitely lion’s mane – big in coffee, cacao or drinks powders. Everyone loves it. The other thing that’s becoming popular is shilajit. People are asking me for tallow which is supposed to be great for skin. Sometimes consumers are ahead of the game because they’ve seen it on Instagram or TikTok. When Michael Mosley did Just One Thing, everyone would come in to buy flax seed which he spoke a lot about. Now every time someone buys them, we think about him.”
When fatigue sets in, customers can pause on chairs dotted about the dog-friendly interior, which add to the relaxed, inclusive environment. “People always comment that it’s nice to be able to sit down, especially older people.”
The High Street continues to enjoy good footfall, from Londoners looking for quaint Christmas shopping opportunities and tour buses coming from nearby Eastbourne, to Dutch, Belgian and German tourists driving over from the Continent (to Rye’s benefit the town is listed in European guide books as the UK’s best attraction). Perhaps they’re also lured by the street’s stronghold of independent businesses, Boots being the only exception.
Like so many small business owners, Woods struggles with the effects of inflation and the discomfort of having to pass on the soaring prices of olive oil, coffee and chocolate to customers. But still they return, for the ambience and for her staff’s expertise. “I love what I do. I love it when people have come in for anxiety or stress, and they say: ‘Even just talking to you has helped’. That makes the job really great.”
By Rosie Greenaway, editor