Superstore has silver lining for jeweller

Photo: VINCENT BROWN

DARREN NUTTER: “The opening of the new store has been good news for me, for sure”

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SOME traders might have felt threatened by having a supermarket neighbour planning to build the biggest store of its kind in the North-West — but not Darren Nutter.

For jeweller Mr Nutter was too busy with the expansion of his own business to worry about what his neighbour Tesco was doing in Huddersfield Road.

In fact, he welcomes the Tesco expansion and feels that it has benefited his business.

Mr Nutter is the proprietor of Alexander Jewellers in the newly-named Greenacres Precinct alongside the giant new superstore.

He took over the business, which was established in 1980, 23 years ago and has overseen a transformation in the store which stocks world-class gold and solid silver ranges and watches from leading worldwide brands and manufacturers.

The starting price of the stock might be a modest £10.99 but he can also access watches costing tens of thousands of pounds and which often have a 10-year waiting list.

Mr Nutter, an Oldham man, has more than doubled the size of his premises by moving into the adjacent unit — formerly occupied by a chilled and frozen goods retailer — and now boasts 1,900 sq ft feet at an initial investment in excess of £120,000.

He said: “I needed to expand and the opportunity arose at the right time.

“I was able to trade through the 13 months of disruption caused by the building of the new Tesco store — thanks to the loyalty of my client base — and now I am definitely reaping the benefits.

“The opening of the new store has been good news for me, for sure.

“I accept this isn’t the case for everyone, but I can’t influence that.

“With the expansion — I was beginning to feel squeezed in my previous space of 865 sq ft — I am now able to attract more top brands and manufacturers and I am about to create a dedicated wedding ring centre within the store.”

Among the new designer stocks available are Armani and he will soon be selling Raymond Weil and Longines watches, to add to his already considerable range.

He now stocks Pandora silver goods from the world-famous Denmark manufacturer, alongside silver products by top German supplier Thomas Sabo.

He said: “I am also about to expand the gold and silver workshop which will improve our bespoke service.”