Up and Running
Great name. And back then still pretty original. My reasoning behind setting up my version of the early sweatshop was (1) There was an untapped demand for such a shop in West Kent (2) It would happen sooner or later anyway, and if anyone was going to do it, it was going to be me (3) If I didn’t risk it, I’d spend my life wondering “what if…..”, and (4) well, it was just a great idea!!!
So having already formed this half baked idea that I could set up and run a specialist running gear shop, I had now also come up with a good name. That’s most of the hard work done surely? Well, no not really. From a starting point of just below zero I had to start researching the market potential, answering the tricky question of how this idea was going to be funded, doing the business plan / cash flow projection stuff to take to the bank, search for suitably sized and well located shop premises, start establishing contacts with the major running shoe and clothing brands (who didn’t know me from Adam), and learning how these things all worked, whilst holding down a full time job. When the time eventually came, I also had to do most of the refurbishment and restoration of a badly run down shop premises in the few weeks leading up to opening. Enough detail already!
Up and Running opened it’s doors in early 1988 and that was possible largely due to the unfailing support and loyalty of my wife Kim and brother Andrew, who if they doubted the wisdom of going ahead with this crazy idea, were kind enough not to say so out loud! Andrew also invested a significant sum of his “hard earned” in the sure and certain knowledge that he’d never see a penny of it again, and helped in many other ways during the short history of the shop (and we’re still the best of friends !!!) I should also single out the extraordinary generosity of the Nat West bank who having secured my house as collateral, were very keen to lend me large sums of money at extortionate interest rates and continued to offer further advances as the sinking ship went down a few years later, safe in the knowledge they could evict me and my family and sell my home. Their kindness lives on in my heart. You live and learn.
The shop traded through a difficult period of economic recession which saw the demise of many High Street “household names” and never quite reached a position of financial stability, but I was gratified by the number of loyal customers, many of whom travelled long distances to support Up and Running. My ethos was to completely know the product – be it shoes, clothing or equipment – so that I could offer genuine and honest advice to my customers. There were definitely occasions where I would recommend against a purchase if I truly felt it was not right for the customer, and would miss a sale as a result. Enthusiastic amateur – definitely. Hard-nosed businessman – I think not! It was probably this lack of business acumen that hastened the shop’s closure in 1992.
Despite approaching 30 years since the shop closed, I still to this day get people come up to me at races and say “you owned the running gear shop in Southborough, didn’t you?” or “those shoes you sold me have worn out, I want my money back!” But seriously, I still have a lot of running friends, colleagues and clubmates that were with me back then and are still around now and I thank you. Too many to single out by name but if you’re reading this you know who you are. Thanks again. Kim.
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