100-year-old Powys business' plea for people to shop local

Nibletts Mica has been a fixture on Builth’s High Street for 100 years – actually celebrating its centenary this year – but since Covid-19, as with the rest of the retail sector, times have been much harder, and the future for so many town centre businesses is now much bleaker.

With rising costs and energy bills and the increasing popularity and convenience of online shopping, shops in rural town centres, as is the case across virtually all of Powys, are fighting to remain relevant.

“Nibletts has been at the heart of Builth Wells for many decades, but you may have noticed recently that we’re not having an easy time,” the shop said in a post on its Facebook page on Tuesday.

“Due to a mixture of higher costs (including reduced council tax relief and higher energy bills) and lower income we couldn’t afford to replace our trusty Nibletts Mica van when it broke down earlier in the year.

“Not for the lack of trying, (as) we’ve not been able to find a local van delivery service either that wouldn’t involve prohibitive costs.

OTHER NEWS:

• One person dies and two drivers arrested after fatal crash near Welshpool
• Lib Dem leader hints that Jane Dodds should resign over handling of abuse case
• Popular illuminated tractor run route set to return

“We know what happens in other high streets when a shop becomes unviable and has to close.

“People always come in and tell the staff how much they will miss it, wish they’d known the range of stock the shop sold, or would have used it more had they known when it was trading normally. We don’t want to get to that point – we want to succeed.”

Nibletts has been trading on the site, at 41-43 High Street, since 1924, when it started out as a traditional ironmongers in a single unit.

Shop owners have urged people to shop local this Christmas, and beyond, as it struggles to survive. (Image: Matt Jones) The business then expanded into a double fronted unit and into many other areas, including gardening, decorating, fuel and housewares, becoming an institution in the town.

Ran proudly by the Evans family from 1961 to 2007, they joined the Mica Cooperative of fellow independent hardware retailers in the late 1990s, enabling them to compete on price and produce quality marketing to take on the growing power of out of town ‘shed’ retailers.

More than 20 years later and eying retirement, the Evans’ faced the prospect of a difficult decision with no buyer for the business.

However, after discussions and in a first for the Mica Cooperative, it was agreed the business could be sold to their fellow retailers, to remain open as a retailer-owned cooperative, which is now run day-to-day by a local manager, thereby securing the store on the high street for the local community and continuing its rich history as an iconic Builth presence.

Opening originally as a traditional ironmongers, Nibletts Mica has evolved and branched out into gardening, decorating, fuel and housewares. (Image: Matt Jones) “We are now having to work with a smaller staff team due to how difficult trading has become,” added the shop, in its post.

“We know we’re not perfect, but we try and we don’t ever want to let a customer down. Our aim is to be the best community hardware store we can be for you.

“So, at this time, we ask that, like you think about us like you did in Covid, please come and shop with us first in the run-up to Christmas, and beyond.

“For your DIY, ironmongery, tools, decorating, electrical, housewares, pet, seasonal and much more.

“And, if for any reason we don’t have what you need, tell us and we’ll be delighted to get it in for you.

“We can’t succeed without our community and we hope you will grant us your custom.”

Visit the Nibletts Mica store at the top end of Builth High Street. Alternatively, call 01982 553624, email info@nibletts.co.uk, visit online at https://niblettsmica.co.uk/ or check out the Facebook page.