Talking shop with Logie Timber
Launching a new retail venture can seem like a leap of faith, but for sawmill Logie Timber, the combination of an amazing location and a passionate mission at its core is paving the way for success. We talked to Retail Manager Crissy MacBeath to find out more.
Putting smiles on people’s faces this Christmas is an essential aim for retail manager Crissy, who has been running sawmill Logie Timber’s accompanying shop since it opened in March this year. With a Christmas market in the pipeline, hosted in an enchanting Highlands setting and the smell of freshly sawn wood in the air, Logie Timber has all the ingredients to evoke magical festive feels.
A sawmill may seem at first glance to house a niche retail offering, but Logie Timber regards itself as more than a place for cutting wood. The mill is a passionate celebration of traditional crafts using local materials sustainably. Located in the enchanting Logie Estate in Findhorn Valley near Inverness in Scotland, it draws day trippers, holidaymakers and local families as well as builders and crafters looking for sustainable timber.
“We're based at Logie Steading right on the River Findhorn. It’s a supportive community of independent businesses. There’s a café, gallery, farm shop, garden centre, as well as fashion retail and a fabulous second-hand bookshop. It's a really great place to come and spend the day. You can come up and have breakfast or lunch, go for a nice walk. It’s just a lovely spot to do a bit of retail therapy,” says Crissy.
“I think my favourite day at work is Bookspeed shopping.”
With a background in retail and hospitality, Crissy joined Logie Timber earlier in the year to run the new retail venture. Product ranges not only offer practical workwear and tools but are also curated to connect customers to an outdoors lifestyle they are aspiring to. Books help do that. After a conversation with the neighbouring second-hand bookshop, it was decided that books would be added to the range, and Bookspeed was identified as a suitable supplier.
“I think my favourite day at work is Bookspeed shopping,” says Crissy. “Buying books for retail was not something I’d done before but so far, it’s been really easy. The selection is so vast that it covers every topic but what we’re looking for is a bit more niche. However, we are able to source books that tie in with the products we have in our shop. It’s a bonus that they're beautiful.”
For Crissy, product selection is only one part of what makes retail successful. Crafting beautiful displays and creating a warm and welcoming environment are vitally important for delivering an excellent customer experience.
“Merchandising was always something I really enjoyed, and we've got such a beautiful space. It's quite quirky. I try to place things near each other that people can pick up together. For example, we’ve got a gorgeous book called Wild Magic, about plant-based healing recipes using ingredients found growing in nature, and I’ve put that next to our mushroom foraging knives. I know that’s what I’ll be giving to a couple of friends at Christmas,” she says.
“Customer service is the most important part of the job.”
Crissy is keen to ensure that the product ranges speak to all customers, not just those who are experienced in working with timber. The Timber Festival held in the summer was an opportunity to connect visitors to new skills and crafts. Books can also play a role in nurturing people’s interest at all levels, something that Crissy’s passionate about.
“It's just so lovely to see people excited to work with timber.
It's such a therapeutic thing, and I can say that as a novice myself,” she says. “After reading Woodcraft by Barn the Spoon, I was definitely inspired to try things myself.”
Reading the books when they arrive is a perk of the job for Crissy, but it’s important to her that she is familiar with the products she’s selling. It all adds to the quality of the service.
“It's important to get to know your products to help people look for the right gift, rather than letting people miss a good opportunity,” she says. “Customer service is the most important part of the job. Everybody's warmly welcomed when they come into the shop. I like to chat to folk. I just think it's really important that people go away happy.”
“Everybody that comes into the shops picks up the books and has a look through.”
People aren’t just leaving Logie Timber happy, they’re also walking out the door with books in their hands. The success of the books has been a pleasant surprise to everyone involved. And one advantage of being part of a sawmill is that if you need more space to sell more books, you can always build more shelves. Something that is in the pipeline.
“Every month, we go over our figures and book sales are always.
up there at the top, so we’re really happy so far,” Crissy says. “We wanted to start off quite small just to see how it goes, but it's something that we'll be keeping for sure. Everybody that comes into the shops picks up the books and has a look through. So, we'll be making something with our own timber to create an extra display because I seem to be getting more and more books!”
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