Gairloch shop owners step down after nearly 25 years
When husband-and-wife team David and Anne Carruthers stood down recently from the Wester Ross business they started nearly a quarter of a century ago, the memories of those early days came flooding back.
For a remote village with a population of little over 800, Gairloch has, remarkably, managed to sustain several local shops, a butcher and two post offices.
Looking back on his time running the Shop at the Pier in Gairloch, David took time out to reflect on a remarkable journey.
SEE ALSO
Ross-shire newsletter twice a week to your inbox - join the 7000 already signed up!
Ross-shire 2024 review month by month in photos and front pages
He said: “Having owned and successfully run the Old Inn in Gairloch for 15 years from 1985, my wife and I decided to sell it to spend more time with our young family of three daughters.
“But what a shock it was when the business sold within three weeks and we suddenly realised we had no future income!
“Thinking caps went on and in next to no time we came to the same conclusion. What was the question most asked of us in all those years?”
It was "Please can you tell us where is the nearest pharmacy?" The answer always was ‘which 60 miles do you want to travel to?’, at a time when the options were Ullapool, Kyle of Lochalsh or Dingwall.
Visitors weren't necessarily wanting prescriptions but simply medication for midge bites, blister treatment, sprain bandaging, stomach upsets and, occasionally, even sunburn treatment.
“And we so we set up the Gairloch Chemistore, which we had to change very rapidly to Chemi-store following legal threats from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society for having the word ‘Chemist’ within the original name.”
The business rapidly developed to the point where it outgrew the Chemi-store name. He said: “When you are asked 10 times on a Sunday morning by visitors who have just arrived in the area, ‘where can I buy coal and logs?’, you rapidly realise you have to stock these items!
“I also overheard a visitor say one day: ‘You won't get a newspaper in there, it's a chemist’, and they went to walk away, until I caught them and put them right.
“However, it was still a shock, when a few years later news came that a chemist's shop was planned for the village, threatening to undermine the very raison d'etre of the Chemi-store.
“But we decided to welcome this challenge which could free up shelving areas of slow-moving pharmaceutical stock such as bandages and first-aid products, and extend the grocery ranges we stocked and we knew were fast-moving.”
But what for a new name? They were stumped until a member of the community said he always referred to it as "The Shop at the Pier" and the name stuck.
The next challenge was the greatest yet. A decision had been made that the McColls shop, situated in the centre of the village, would open on Sundays. That effectively meant that it would become the nearest shop for four caravan and camping sites and also the vast majority of visitors' accommodation.
Sunday sales, so important to the shop's viability, immediately slumped by two-thirds and the couple had to think on their feet how to rescue the situation.
Diversity brought in knitting and haberdashery departments and, being next to the pier, permits for the local angling club and a well-stocked fishing section, all of which were very successful.
Having been the only Lottery outlet in the village for many years, the next set-back was the installation of two more terminals effectively “swamping” the area with options. But locals stayed loyal “and we experienced very little change in sales”.
Similarly, when Tesco delivery vans “started to swarm into the village”, there was absolutely no impact on the shop. “We believe, quite simply, they were delivering to customers who had previous travelled to Dingwall or Inverness on a regular basis”.
He said: “I honestly believe that it has been the close relationship between ourselves and the local community that has helped us to not only survive the last 25 years, but prosper. We have always tried to listen to the community and I hope that we have responded well.
“We have enjoyed helping local organisations and clubs in many ways over the years. We have supported these with fund-raising, raffles, publicity and poster displays.”
Customer support has been “just amazing” with the phenomenal success of the Gairloch Sitooterie Wildife Viewing Garden, started in 2015 through donation boxes sited on the shop counters, a case in point.
Thousands of pounds have since been donated by shop customers providing significant funds raised towards the acclaimed award-winning garden which has now reached its ultimate 206-metre length.
Said David: “Over 25 years, the shop has many happy memories for me, but it has been the community involvement and friendships that have developed which will be the lasting memory.
“A huge thank you to many brilliant staff over the years, and the very best of luck to new owners Richard, Sally and Duncan Cameron who will, I'm sure, continue to sail a community flagship into the future for many years to come.”
While you’re here…
If you have enjoyed our content during 2024, why not take advantage of a time-limited offer to get online access to all of our Highland News and Media content for a full 12 months for just £10? That includes sister titles like the Inverness Courier, Northern Times and John o’ Groat Journal all accessed through a handy app and available as easy to read e-editions. To find out more and subscribe, use the promo code HECTORMACKENZIE here.
