A Whitley Bay man has returned to Royal Quays Outlet Centre to open a boutique, ten years after he started his working life with a Saturday job at one of the stores.
Sean Wood, 26, opened his first Unique Boutique in Whitley Bay and such has its success been that he has now opened a second store at the centre.
Ladies are in for a treat as the store offers chic fashion at affordable prices. As the name suggests it has a unique collection of Italian and French wear for ladies as well as beautifully designed scarves, elegant jewellery and a range of stylish handbags to choose from.
Sean has always had a passion for both business and retail, having studied a degree in business and marketing followed by a diploma in Finance and Accounting.
Sean, said: “Royal Quays proved to be the ideal location for me. I have fond memories of the centre having first worked here ten years ago when I had a Saturday job. It’s accessibility along with the strong footfall really drew me back.
“My background is very much a mixture of business, marketing and retail and I am determined that our second store here in Royal Quays will be just as popular. As an independent store we offer customers a variety of choice and a different offering to what you can find on the high street.
“It is a family venture as I work alongside my Mum, Carolyn Wood, who is also my business partner and has a vast amount of retail expertise under her belt. My girlfriend, Hannah Pattingale, also plays a part in the company working between both stores, as well as helping with marketing and events.”
Royal Quays Centre Manager, Judith Ramshaw, said: “As Newcastle’s only out of town shopping outlet, it is always great to welcome an independent store to the centre. We pride ourselves on our blend of both large and smaller stores all of which appeals to our customers.
“Unique Boutique has a fresh and vibrant feel and I would urge ladies to pop in and view the collection as they won’t be disappointed!
“As with all our stores, we are on-hand to support the team as they continue to settle into life at the centre.”
Royal Quays has 50 stores which employ around 300 staff, making it an important employment hub for the North Tyneside area.
It is home to a number of top brands offering up to 60% off RRP such as Marks & Spencer Outlet, Nike Factory Store, Gap Outlet, Collectables Outlet, Clarks, Next and Mountain Warehouse, along with a vast range of local, independent retailers specialising in areas such as sport, fashion, jewellery, music and electrical items.
As well as attracting famous brands, since it was opened in 1996, Royal Quays has achieved great success in assisting local retailers looking to get to the next stage of their development.
Packages include competitive and flexible rent agreements that can be linked to store performance as well as expert advice from the on-site management team on marketing, shop design, presentation and sales.