Several more Pocket Shop stores to open in UK next year

Pocket Shop plans to open several more stores in the UK next year as landlords are keen to "present something new" to the public, its c.e.o. Anna Borné Minberger has told The Bookseller.

The Northern European bookshop chain revealed its first UK store would open in Birmingham Airport next month, with a further two more to open in train station locations before the end of 2016.

Minberger said the company was attracted to the UK because it had “recovered” from the digital revolution and was “on the rebound”. She did not comment on the effect of Brexit on the plan.

She said: “We have looked at different markets and countries these last 18 months. We look at the book market in general, of course, but also pricing, competition, distribution, and ‘flows’ - for us that would be especially flows into travel locations. After meeting publishers and landlords in the UK, we feel that there is an interesting book market which has recovered after different challenges, such as digital, and is on the rebound.”

UK landlords were keen on “presenting something new to the UK public,” Minberger said, and liked “the idea of our concept and stores”.

While Minberger would not reveal the locations of the train stations it plans to open in before the end of the year, she added: “Absolutely there will be a few more stores next year, if we get this going the way we intend and hope to. And, if we find and get the right locations.”

The company is looking for top sites in travel locations which “may take some time to get,” she added.

The Birmingham Airport store, which will open in the south terminal in mid-July, will be staffed by four to five people, with a small “dream team” of sales staff coming over from Pocket Shop stores in Sweden to help out with the UK launch.

The company has 25 stores in Sweden, Finland and Germany and is owned by Swedish media giant Bonnier, but Minberger said Pocket Shop’s launch in the UK was unconnected to the rise of Bonnier Publishing in the UK, as: “Bonnier is a very decentralised company" and "all companies within the group are independently run.”

Publishers have welcomed the launch of a new book chain in the UK.

Lucy Hale, group sales director at Hachette, said: "Pocket is a long standing and valued customer of ours in Europe already so we are delighted to be working with it again as it expands into the UK. We hope the Birmingham Airport store is a huge success."

Angie Willocks, international sales director at Bonnier Zaffre, added: “There is something quite exciting about seeing one of our international customers coming into the UK market.  They always have a diverse and exciting offering, making their stores a welcome place to browse and shop. I look forward to seeing them expand and grow the retail landscape within the UK.”

Pocket Shop will go head-to-head with WH Smith Travel in Birmingham Airport. The British bookseller and stationer has eight shops and one dedicated "Book Plus" bookshop in the airport.

Nick Bubb, retail analyst, welcomed the competition a new bookshop would bring to the market, but highlighted WH Smith’s domination in travel locations.  “More competition in book retailing is always good, to keep WH Smith on its toes, but these European entrants come and go,” he said. “WH Smith has the best travel locations locked down and can justify the rents with its superior sales per sq ft figures.”

LS Travel Retail opened Watermark bookshop in Kings Cross Station in 2012, but closed it last year.

The Bookseller first reported Pocket Shop, owned by Swedish media giant Bonnier, was eyeing a UK launch last November.

Paperback chain Pocket Shop was founded in 1989 by Mathias Engdahl. Bonnier bought it in 2012, with Minberger succeeding Engdahl as c.e.o. in 2013. There are around 25 Pocket Shop outlets across Sweden, Germany and Finland, all based in travel hubs such as airports and major train stations.