Gift Focus - May/Jun 2019 (Issue 113)

100 Isle of Mantons Gift Focus talks to Chris Beards, director of Port Erin gift shop Mantons Cards about becoming an integral part of the local community When did the shop open, and what were the reasons behind starting the business? The shop was opened in 1987 by Tony Manton, and we took over in 2008. Mantons was a popular business locally but in danger of closing down, and I felt it was important to help save independent retail on the Isle of Man. Also, I had always wanted to be involved in the greetings card business, as one of my first memories is buying a card for my Gran and seeing her delighted reaction. How did you choose your location? Once we bought the business, we kept the location, as it’s the most prominent premises in the town, right opposite the Steam Railway Station and with free parking right outside. How has the business changed since you first opened? The shop is completely unrecognisable from when we took over in 2008. Outside, we have fitted a new shop front, installed double glazing throughout the building and fitted a new roof. Inside, we have removed supporting walls to extend the retail area to approx. 2,500 square feet and fitted new display units throughout. We have improved the quality of the products and massively increased our card and gift ranges. Describe your product offering We stock the Isle of Man’s largest range of quality cards and gifts for every occasion. How often do you add to your product range? What’s important to you when choosing new products? We are always looking for new suppliers who can add to our product range. The most important thing we look for is quality both in design and manufacture. We take great pride in our stock and love hearing positive customer comments, such as how much they love our products. Obviously, exclusivity and a decent margin are also very important to us. How often do you update your window display? We have three windows and create a new display each week. It’s hard work, but all the positive feedback we receive for our efforts makes it worthwhile. We have also won national awards for our displays, and our Christmas window is anticipated by local traders and customers alike. What are your current bestsellers? As we are so well known for our range, greetings cards are always our best-selling items. We have recently extended our stationery range and sales have been exceptional. “I believe that a business should aim to do more than just make a pr of it and also bring benef its to the community, its team members and the industry that it is involved in.” Chris at the 2016 Local Hero Awards One of Mantons’ window displays, winner of Enesco’s Beatrix Potter Window of the Year in 2014