How To Open & Run A Successful Health Store

How to Open & Run a Successful Health Store

A new book, How to Open and Run a Successful Health Store, is launched at NOPEX on April 16. It’s a collaboration between Health Stores UK and committee member Cheryl Thallon.

Described as "a love letter to the valiant army of health food store owners and their staff, and to those who want to join their ranks”, this practical guide offers 200+ pages packed with powerful take-homes for new and established independent health stores to help generate footfall and boost turnover.

“The opportunity to help others to better health and happiness, serve your community and be your own boss has proved irresistible to more than 1,000 people who now run successful health food stores across the UK and Ireland,” says Health Stores UK (formerly known as the NAHS).

Across 13 chapters, this retailing manual examines the historic and current marketplace for health products, then explores the legalities of giving advice, how to make staff training ‘stick’, which window displays can increase sales, tried-and-tested promotions, step-by-step event planning, how to increase footfall and boost average customer spend, when marketing money is well-spent, plus real-life testimonials from successful retailers. It also signposts to further resources including HR templates, training providers and trade associations.

Author and shopkeeper, Cheryl Thallon, with more than 40 years’ experience in the natural products sector, guides you through the process of opening your own store in easy-to-follow chapters brimming with practical advice to help avoid costly mistakes, and set you up for success. This is truly ‘the essential guide to opening and running your own health store’.

Thallon says: “Though I am the overall author of this book, numerous articles and case studies have been contributed by others in the independent health store community. That’s the kind of people that work in health food stores - kind, supportive and knowledgeable - and always willing to help other retailers. So, this book is a collation of stolen ideas, observations of best practice, a recognition of mistakes made (and how best to avoid them), and the product of the blood, sweat and tears of countless health store retailers around the world. I am merely the curator of what I think will be the most useful to you.”

This collaborative publication includes a foreword by Sir Charlie Mayfield and a chapter from performance coach, Jean-Pierre de Villers, as well as a plethora of case study contributions from Health Stores UK committee members and others.

The cover price of the book is £25. The author and contributors have all given their time and talents for free, and the full price of this book goes to Health Stores UK. An adaptation for the Irish market is being considered with Health Stores Ireland.

Members of Health Stores UK can pick up a FREE copy at NOPEX London Excel April 16th & 17th. Electronic copies will be available once the initial print run is exhausted.