Member Article

Pen Shop makes write move

A North East-based business has joined forces with Britain’s leading retailer of designer brands to be the exclusive pen concession within House of Fraser stores.

The new contract will see Europe’s largest retailer of luxury writing instruments, The Pen Shop, as the sole specialist writing instrument retailer within the House of Fraser retail chain. The relationship will start with initial openings in House of Fraser’s Manchester, Birmingham and Guilford stores this summer, followed by further store openings by the end of the year and into 2008.

The pen retailer was established as a family firm of stationers in North East England almost 150 years ago, and has since grown to 26 branches nationwide in some of the UK’s main shopping cities as well as department store concessions, tax free shops at key airports and an online mail order operation.

Colin McClymont, managing director of The Pen Shop, said: “We may differ in stature but both The Pen Shop and House of Fraser have very similar offerings. Both companies are derived from family run retailers and we both provide our customers with a wide choice of high quality brands under one roof. The Pen Shop has some of the most highly regarded brands in the world and this, coupled with a high level of product expertise and knowledge that all our staff possess made for an appealing package to House of Fraser. I’m delighted that we can become part of this retail giant.”

Martin Shires, Buyer of Stationary at House of Fraser added: “The Pen Shop will bring further prestige brands on board, but more importantly they also bring the experience and knowledge needed to sell such a personal and specialist product. This is key to providing the outstanding level of customer service that House of Fraser adheres to.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .