CHIPS MARKET HARBOROUGH


CHIPS MARKET HARBOROUGH

IS NOW OPEN


DIARY DATES


STORE NEWS

CHIPS ADDS UP FOR ANDREW

Launching a new business venture at the height of the recession really adds up for ex-accountant Andrew Colclough.

The 48-year-old has just opened a CHIPS video games store (Tuesday, July 14) in St Mary’s Road, Market Harborough. The store buys, sells and trades new and second-hand consoles, games and accessories.

Andrew, who lives in Desborough, with wife Jo, used to part-own Returns, a private accountancy practice, just five doors away from his new CHIPS store.

Now he feels the time is exactly right to be launching his new business.
“I first looked at opening a CHIPS store in Market Harborough about five years ago but I just couldn’t find the right premises,” said Andrew.

“I continued to work as an accountant, travelling around Europe, and the dream of opening a video games store was always at the back of my mind.

“Redundancy was on the cards around Christmas and suddenly I started to see a number of empty stores around town so I decided now Is exactly the right time to open a video games store.”

Andrew, who is a keen games player himself, has the full support of Jo, Chief Officer of the South Leicestershire Council for Voluntary Services. Their children, Matthew, 28, Jordan, 22, Ewan, 20, Rebekah, 13, and Paul, 11, are delighted with the venture.

“I tend to play a lot of PC games and the Wii and PS2 are great favourites in our house,” said Andrew. “I have been playing since the 70s so it is great to be able to turn my hobby into a career.

“I think the recession has bottomed out now and there will be a slow and steady recovery over the next 18 months,” said Andrew, who has lived in Market Harborough since the mid-80s.

“Fortunately, I was able to secure the right premises in St Mary’s Road and summer is a great time to open. The children will be breaking up for summer and it will give me a few months before the Christmas rush begins.

“I have dreamed of opening a store in Market Harborough for years and now it is reality.

Andrew is working in the store full-time and has 17-year-old Joe Wells and Aidan Kessell, 18, working alongside him. Both teenagers are studying for their NVQ Level 2 in Retail Sales through an apprenticeship scheme run by South Leicestershire College

Andrew added: “I believe this is the first new store to open in the town for many months and I hope people feel we have a lot to offer. It has already created quite a buzz round the youngsters at Welland Park School and Meadowdale Primary thanks to my youngsters spreading the word.

“The store has a great range of games and consoles across all platforms both new and second-hand. We also have lots of accessories, books, cards and merchandise related to video gaming.

“Our aim is to offer a friendly service in a professional manner, backed by CHIPS expertise and nation-wide network. We are planning in-store events and competitions which should be great fun for customers and games fans.”

CHIPS Market Harborough will be open 9.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Saturday. The store will sell games and consoles including PS2, PS3, Xbox, 360, DS, PSP, PC and Wii.

CHIPS is the UK’s largest independent video games chain in the country. It has 30 stores across the UK from Edinburgh to the south coast.

JULY 2009

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    Independent Retailer Of The Year