Gift Focus - Jul/Aug 2019 (Issue 114)

63 COMPANY PROFILE What have been the biggest milestones for Gibsons? Our entire premises were bombed during the Blitz, and it was touch-and-go as to whether the business would survive. The company safe and ledgers were amazingly pulled from the rubble, and my great uncle worked tirelessly to rebuild the company after the loss of all of our manufacturing equipment. In the late ’90s, we moved into the jigsaw puzzle market, which was a huge turning point for the company. We benefited from a new approach and a fresh look at the puzzle market and haven’t looked back. How does your history inform the way you do business today? Our values are at the core of everything we do, and our heritage is very much part of that. Quality and service have always been at the forefront of how we conduct business, and that hasn’t changed. We are also delighted to be able to launch products from our extensive back catalogue. For example, the hugely popular strategy game L’Attaque, has been relaunched for modern games players in celebration of our centenary. How many generations have been involved in the company? Myself and our sales director, Nicki Gumbrell, are the fourth generation of the Gibson family. Did you always know you wanted to join the family business? I was always involved in some way with the company, either packing games in the warehouse during my school holidays or testing games, but it wasn’t until I had tried other jobs and felt I had some experience and further understanding of business that it felt the right time to join. I haven’t ever looked back, however, and can wholeheartedly say that I thoroughly enjoy what I do. I never suffer from that Sunday night feeling! What values have remained important? In addition to the above, we always conduct business with integrity and respect. It may seem old-fashioned, but treating 