Busby & Fox
Open latest store in Farnham
In May 2024, we helped Busby and Fox expand their business by opening their 8th store in Lion and Lamb Yard.
Background
Following a career in London’s fashion industry, Emma moved back to Devon and started her first business Emma Vowles Flowers. Emma started to introduce homewares and accessories to the collection, followed by clothes… and in 2016, Busby & Fox was born. Since evolving into the independent womenswear clothing brand that customers know and love.
Hatch and Busby and Fox started working together in 2019. In 2020 Hatch helped Busby and Fox open their 7th store in Marlborough, taking over the old Cath Kidston store on the high street. In 2023, Busby and Fox came back to Hatch looking for help to continue growing the business by opening new stores.
What we did?
In 2023, the British lifestyle brand Joules fell into administration, which meant some of their 124 stores were due to close, including Farnham. Hatch sent through Unit 5 Lion and Lamb Yard (formerly Joules) to B&F and the team got to work reviewing the property.
The unit worked for several reasons. Firstly, it had a steady stream of footfall going past the door, driven by the Waitrose car park nearby. More importantly, the footfall had a high percentage of the typical B&F customer. Secondly, B&F were able to reuse Joules’ fixtures and fittings including the changing rooms meaning a substantial saving on fit out.
Lastly, The White Company, a brand B&F shares a lot of synergy with, were opening a new store directly opposite, helping to drive the right type of footfall to the pitch.
Hatch helped B&F secure the store on competitive lease terms by providing guidance on making an offer and lease negotiations. A 5-year lease was agreed, with a 3rd year tenant only break clause meaning B&F had flexibility to end the lease early, while also benefiting from 6 months’ rent free.
Outcome
Busby and Fox opened their doors in May 2024 and have never looked back. They now have a strong customer base in Farnham, over 90% of whom are new customers.
The first 6 months of trade exceeded expectations. The store paid back the upfront cost of opening it within 3 months of trade. Farnham is now the second-best performing store of the 8.
Off the back of its success, B&F are wanting to open a further 3 stores in 2025 and have retained Hatch to make it happen. Stay tuned!
“Our new Farnham store has exceeded all expectations, quickly becoming one of the most commercially successful locations in our portfolio. Beyond strong in-store sales, the impact on our e-commerce business has been significant, providing clear omnichannel uplift. Customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with shoppers praising the welcoming atmosphere and timeless collections that we offer. Even our landlord (who operates the whole multi-store site) has recognised our new store’s success, describing it as a much-needed addition to the area.”
