A Wiltshire ironmonger's that closed earlier this year after trading for over 150 years has been restored to life by the owners of a nearby garden centre.
James Vincent and Matthew Webb, who set up Avonfield Gardens in Bradford on Avon in 2008, were as sad as the locals to see the town's historic hardware outlet shut up shop for the last time in August. So they jumped in to save it, carried out a complete refurbishment and opened it up again at the beginning of this month - and business is booming.

J Alex Brown was established in Bradford on Avon in 1856 and continued to trade as an ironmonger's until just three years ago, when the then owner made some changes.

Mr Vincent told diyweek.net: "It went more into engineering, tool hire, a little bit away from the hardware side of it, and the name changed to Allin Engineering Products, and it didn't really succeed that well, unfortunately.

"Everybody was up in arms that we've lost our only hardware shop. Everybody said they'd like to see the shop back. It's the oldest business in the town, and I've known the shop all my life."

In fact, he is the fifth generation of his family to live and run businesses in Bradford on Avon, and it's this strong tie with the town that helped him make the decision to try to rescue the old store, starting with a complete makeover.

"It needed a facelift, so we've smartened the front of the shop up and it just looks like a completely different building," Mr Vincent said. "And it's all new fittings, it's all new stock - historically, I think, the problem has been that new owners have taken on the existing stock."

He said his lack of direct experience in buying hardware merchandise hadn't really been a problem. "There is a slight crossover with the garden centre, and I am quite familiar with a lot of the products," he said. "And also Decco, our main wholesaler, do a lot of hardware as well as gardening so they've been a great help to us, and so have the suppliers' reps."

He is also getting plenty of help by "listening to what the customers want. We did a survey around the town saying, tell us what you want us to stock and we'll do it." And because of that, he says he will be manning the shop up until Christmas.

"I want to be the person everyone sees as they come in the door because I've got the 'wants' book and I get it for them," he explained.

He firmly believes that the revived independent will be able to compete with the multiples. "A lot of big companies have all these policies and procedures, but they promise you the earth and give you nothing," he said. "And the prices aren't as competitive as they make out. People do come in and say, yes, your stuff is cheaper than B&Q.

"We have no gimmicks, no loyalty schemes, no buy-one-get-one-free. And I think people are looking to return to the high street to do their shopping: if you've been to one [multiple] you've been to them all, and they're not selling you an experience, it's more of an ordeal."

And business so far suggests his customers agree with him. "We've probably had over 3,000 people through the door in the two weeks since we've opened," he said. "I am surprised we've had so many customers, but I knew on the first day there'd be a lot of support."