Finding Opportunity in Woolworths Demise

When UK based Woolworths, the store that stocked and sold pretty much everything you’d never need, was hit by the recession and closed most people were a little distraught. Although the chain was famous for its variety of sweets and being frequented around holiday time for any and every type of toy, there was not enough business to keep them afloat. From this disaster and disappointment however, has come some good.

First, via the initiative of previous Dorchester branch Woolworths manager, Clare Robertson: after the closure of her branch in late 2008, she decided that something similar had to go in its place for the shoppers of Dorchester. She re-opened the same space, re-hired the old staff and renamed the shop Wellworth’s. She received financial backing from a consortium led by the Ireland-based owner of the premises who also came up with the name of the company which Clare admits is ‘a bit cheeky’. The store has pick n’ mix but unlike Woolworths, will not sell CDs, DVDs or children’s clothing. It does however, have a craft and pet section as well as more focus on local business and their products such as hand-made wooden toys.

Another product of the great Woolworths crash is a new project from Trevor Bish-Jones, the former chief executive of the stores after being ousted in June 2008. He now aims to take advantage of a new wave of unemployed executives in the UK by creating a recrutiment website called Mypeoplebiz on order to lessen the cost of recruitment. As many of its beleaguered ex-employees discover new paths in the role of entrepreneur, Woolworths fall has seemingly left at least some worth in its wake.

[via BBC]