Desert Island Stores: Charlie Bennett of Berry Bros. & Rudd
In this latest Desert Island Stores interview, Glynn Davis chats with Charlie Bennett, head of digital trading at Berry Bros. & Rudd.
The store you remember from childhood?
Peter Jones in London. There were no websites when I was a child so the store I remember most from childhood would probably be Peter Jones as it was a sort of second home to my mother so I spent a lot of time there. It sold everything and had a wonderful warmth, comfort and familiarity to it. My favourite floor was the one with the televisions and Hi-fis as they were called back then. And the staff (the partners) were always super-friendly and helpful and you would 100% trust anything they said.
Most inspirational store to your career?
Oddbins in Islington. One of my first jobs in the wine trade was an assistant in the first ever Oddbins store (Branch code 001) on Upper Street in Islington. The hours were very long and the shop was hopelessly impractical – long and narrow with a very small storeroom where cases were precariously stacked with ’collapses’ being regular occurrences. But for the nine months I worked there the combination of amazing colleagues, a wonderfully eclectic range of customers, and the Oddbins’ range (which was so innovative back then) made the store an inspirational place for me. It confirmed that the wine trade was for me.
Most frequently used store?
Amazon by a country mile.
The store you wished you’d created?
Lavinia in Paris – the largest wine shop in Paris covering more than 1,200 sq metres over three floors. The range has incredible breadth and depth with over 6,500 wines, Champagnes, spirits and accessories. The wines range from affordable everyday bottles to rare grand crus. It also includes a wine bar and a restaurant. It’s a must-visit whenever in Paris and the closest I’ve ever seen to a fine wine luxury department store.
Your overall favourite store?
Shipton & Heneage. I buy almost all my shoes from them and it’s my guilty secret. It was founded in the 1980s to provide ‘the finest English-made shoes at very competitive prices’, and it has an excellent website as well as shops in London and Crieff (and briefly Paris). The range is comprehensive and all very high quality at keen prices. The shoes are brilliant and the website is dangerously easy to buy from and delivery is always very quick and 100% reliable.
The store you’d like to take to the desert island?
It has to be Harrods as it caters to all my needs and requirements – from fine wine and food, to clothing, furniture, and books etcetera would all be available.
