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Parfetts founder Alan Parfett opened the first Local 4U store |
Parfetts Cash & Carry is planning a major expansion of its retail business, developing it into a small chain within the next 12 months.
The company bought its first convenience store at New Mills, outside Stockport, last year, and has developed it under the Local 4U fascia, which will also be used for the additional stores.
The New Mills store was purchased from a Parfetts customer who was retiring. The company was aware that Tesco had expressed some interest and bought the store to retain its independence.
Managing director Steve Parfett said: "We will be making a substantial investment to establish a modest chain." He described a target of eight stores in the next 12 months as ambitious.
Parfett said the company was still learning about the best way to operate stores, but it believed they were best run by owners or franchisees, although it will be managing stores while it evaluates the options.
The stores will be served by Parfetts' Somercotes depot in Derbyshire, and Parfett said they would most probably be located in the East Midlands and South Yorkshire area. Although the stores will receive deliveries he said there were no plans to develop a delivered business.
The company has promoted the deputy general manager of the Somercotes depot to the new position of retail operations manager, and it is advertising for new deputy managers.
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