Parmesan tasting tables, farmyard murals, juice bars - when Booths opened its supermarket in the Yorkshire cathedral city of Ripon last month, orthodox was never on the menu.
The opening, on 25 June, is the first in two years for the upmarket supermarket chain and gives it the chance to test a host of new concepts and initiatives in what is only its third Yorkshire location.
Sited in the middle of the city just yards from Ripon's historic Market Square, the 18,000 sq ft store faces stiff competition from a Sainsbury's branch across the square and a Morrisons on the outskirts of the city. But despite Booths' upmarket reputation, the early signs are that locals have embraced the new addition.
Two hundred people queued outside the store on opening day to watch company chairman Edwin Booth cut the ribbon and sales have been above expectations, helped by a heatwave on opening weekend.
"In the first couple of days, shoppers were trying the store out rather than doing a full shop, but now they are returning," says manager Atholl Robertson. "We're attracting a wide range of shoppers."
Inside, the store is light, bright and contemporary. Under the vaulted ceiling it features wall murals of chickens, pigs and flowers, while spotlighting over the fresh produce and fresh food counters adds a touch of theatre.
Among the 15,000 lines stocked in Ripon are 450 products from Yorkshire suppliers including 200 local ales, bread from artisan supplier Staff of Life, which bakes using wood-fired ovens, and sloe gin from local firm Sloe Motion.
But what really sets the store apart is its role as a test bed for a series of new initiatives. Café 1847, which sits above the shop, is a total revamp of the chain's traditional tearooms. All its coffee is Fairtrade, organic or Rainforest Alliance-certified. It also stocks local lines including Harrogate Spa Water and Yorkshire Provender Soup.
Back in the store, nestled among a long line of fresh counters covering the entire back wall, sits a dedicated Neal's Yard Dairy counter. It is the first time the cheese specialist has introduced a range into a mainstream retailer and it has 10 varieties on offer. "The trial makes Neal's Yard cheeses accessible to more people," says a Booths spokeswoman.
There's also a try-before-you-buy Parmesan table, which Robertson says "increases the popularity of the cheese". A similar table for olive oils is set to appear soon. Other trials include a juice bar where shoppers can fill up one-litre, 500ml or 250ml bottles with pure, squeezed juice. Should these initiatives prove a hit, they are likely to be rolled out to the new Garstang store, due to open in the autumn.
As a veteran of three Booths store openings, Robertson says he has a good feeling about Ripon.
"Booths is a destinational retailer and we know that people have travelled to get to the store - some from more than 45 minutes away. I'm confident it's going to do well."
The opening, on 25 June, is the first in two years for the upmarket supermarket chain and gives it the chance to test a host of new concepts and initiatives in what is only its third Yorkshire location.
Sited in the middle of the city just yards from Ripon's historic Market Square, the 18,000 sq ft store faces stiff competition from a Sainsbury's branch across the square and a Morrisons on the outskirts of the city. But despite Booths' upmarket reputation, the early signs are that locals have embraced the new addition.
Two hundred people queued outside the store on opening day to watch company chairman Edwin Booth cut the ribbon and sales have been above expectations, helped by a heatwave on opening weekend.
"In the first couple of days, shoppers were trying the store out rather than doing a full shop, but now they are returning," says manager Atholl Robertson. "We're attracting a wide range of shoppers."
Inside, the store is light, bright and contemporary. Under the vaulted ceiling it features wall murals of chickens, pigs and flowers, while spotlighting over the fresh produce and fresh food counters adds a touch of theatre.
Among the 15,000 lines stocked in Ripon are 450 products from Yorkshire suppliers including 200 local ales, bread from artisan supplier Staff of Life, which bakes using wood-fired ovens, and sloe gin from local firm Sloe Motion.
But what really sets the store apart is its role as a test bed for a series of new initiatives. Café 1847, which sits above the shop, is a total revamp of the chain's traditional tearooms. All its coffee is Fairtrade, organic or Rainforest Alliance-certified. It also stocks local lines including Harrogate Spa Water and Yorkshire Provender Soup.
Back in the store, nestled among a long line of fresh counters covering the entire back wall, sits a dedicated Neal's Yard Dairy counter. It is the first time the cheese specialist has introduced a range into a mainstream retailer and it has 10 varieties on offer. "The trial makes Neal's Yard cheeses accessible to more people," says a Booths spokeswoman.
There's also a try-before-you-buy Parmesan table, which Robertson says "increases the popularity of the cheese". A similar table for olive oils is set to appear soon. Other trials include a juice bar where shoppers can fill up one-litre, 500ml or 250ml bottles with pure, squeezed juice. Should these initiatives prove a hit, they are likely to be rolled out to the new Garstang store, due to open in the autumn.
As a veteran of three Booths store openings, Robertson says he has a good feeling about Ripon.
"Booths is a destinational retailer and we know that people have travelled to get to the store - some from more than 45 minutes away. I'm confident it's going to do well."
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