School of Business
Preloved45
Established: 2021
Legal structure: Community Interest Company
Who we are
Preloved@45 sells preloved items including clothes, shoes, toys, books and household goods and aims to divert materials from landfill for reuse. The business is a community enterprise and is run co-operatively by, and for, Braunstone residents with the aim of improving the lives of local people. Preloved@45 supports volunteers to learn new skills and offers a friendly supportive environment where people can develop and contribute whilst playing an active part in their local community.
The challenge
Preloved@45 had been trading for a while and needed to develop markets to attract new and different customers. The trading area of the shop is limited so the challenge was to utilise space in the best possible way. This was achieved through establishing an online sales centre on the first floor and employing ground floor space for a café
What was required
Preloved@45 seeks to provide enhanced services for local people, whilst also building a stable business, and joined the programme to develop alternative income streams to consolidate sustainability. This included exploration of online development of selling and a café.
Tools used:
- Business modelling
- Market research
- Business planning
- Action planning
- Implementation
The adviser assisted Preloved@45 to explore options and possibilities, moving from initial discussion of ideas right through to formation of a café and consolidation of an online selling service.
Growth acceleration through
Business modelling: Focusing on creative solutions to address an identified need. Identifying new markets. Exploring options.
Business planning: Thinking through and developing elements of the business plan. Putting ideas under headings for development. Using skills to evolve ideas into action.
Action planning: Dealing with organisational and physical change to conduct business as usual whilst developing the business to a) incorporate a new café, b) develop an online selling area and c) reconfigure kitchen and work areas.
“Participating in the Growth Accelerator project put Preloved@45 in touch with new people from many diverse groups and allowed us to jointly share strengths and opportunities, whilst discussing and addressing challenges we are all currently facing as businesses. Our business received support to focus on a succession plan which we knew we needed but had not had opportunity to explore. We also received assistance to diversify within our trading space to open a new cafe area and develop our online selling portal. The funding day was a bonus and made us aware of many more areas that Preloved@45 could potentially apply to, both now and in the future.”
Marian Deacon, Director Preloved@45
