Desert Island Stores: Hamish Mansbridge, chief executive of Heal’s
In this latest Desert Island Stores interview, Glynn Davis chats to Hamish Mansbridge, chief executive of Heal’s.
The store you remember from childhood?
I’m going to say two here. Firstly, Woolworths because that’s where I bought my first record just after my tenth birthday. If I remember rightly it was 99p. Albums were mostly £4.49 by the time I was 13 or 14 and I’d try to buy one each week with the proceeds of my paper round.
Secondly, Texas Homecare in Reigate where I worked in my year off before going to University. I was put in charge of the paint department and I loved it, you’ve never seen such beautifully faced-up paints, I almost didn’t want people to buy them. I also used to work in the Pantry café in the shop from time to time and eat the cherry pie filling straight out of the bucket! They asked me to stay and go on their management training programme but I went to Uni instead.
Most inspirational store to your career?
Subscribe to TRBDefinitely The White Company, where I was Finance Director for nine years. We grew from £20 million to £120 million and in that time went from four stores to 40. It was really exciting to be part of that expansion and such great fun. The thing that sticks with me to this day is Chrissie’s (the founder’s) absolute unwavering insistence that everything had to be “lovely”, whether that was the smell in the shops or the packaging on a parcel or anything else. I think it’s a brilliant mantra and gave real clarity to the experience we were trying to create.
Most frequently used store?
The reality is that it is the Little Waitrose at Parsons Green, although less so than I used to because I don’t like leaving my dog (Puffin, who is a whippet) outside for fear that someone steals her. Then sadly I’m on Amazon all the time because it’s just so convenient; I actually annoy myself that I use it because it’s not “proper” retail but you kind of get hooked on it! But for real high street stores that I might make an effort to go to, Reiss and Boss, both of which cater well for the slimmer gentleman.
The store you wished you’d created?
I love a good farmshop/deli, so I guess the crème de la crème is Daylesford Organic. It would be even better if it had a vineyard and a winery attached! In fact, that’s what I’d like to do when I hang up my Heal’s hat: go and open my own vertically-integrated winery and farm shop (in Suffolk).
Your overall favourite store?
Selfridges. Selfridges is amazing and so beautiful, although I haven’t been there that much since the Weston family sold it so I’m a bit rusty. I have also concessioned into it with both The White Company and Snow+Rock, so I’ve seen it from both sides of the fence. Its sister store, Brown Thomas in Dublin is equally lovely.
The store you’d like to take to the desert island?
Is it cheating to say I’d take the Heal’s flagship store? I’d have comfy sofas and beds and the general feel of the shop is just so calming and lovely. And if I get to keep the café as well I’ll then have great coffee to keep me going!
