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First degree store open for business

More than two years after the idea was first conceived, the University of York’s new Nisa Local store is now open.

The Heslington store, on Kimberlow Rise Retail Park, Campus East, brings the total number of shops across the university to three, with this one promising to be possibly the most successful yet.

Sandwiched between student accommodation and academic buildings to one side and an affluent residential area on the other, it is a demographic which Retail Operations Manager Jackie North believes will make the store especially interesting.

“Before we built this store the students were having to cross a dual carriageway to go to a garage forecourt so this is much more convenient for them. And the housing estate is also just a short walk away so we are expecting to get a lot of business from the local community.

“We started with a blank canvas and it has taken over the last two years of my life so I am quite emotional to finally open the doors.”

At just below 3,000 sq. ft. meaning it won’t be affected by Sunday trading hours, the store is fitted out to Nisa’s Store of the Future Evolution speculation.

Adam Viney, multi-site store manager, said much of the inspiration came from the Stoneleigh Store displayed at the 2017 Nisa Exhibition at the NAEC in Warwickshire.

“I walked around the store at the show last year and was really impressed and took a lot of ideas away for the design. We worked closely with Nisa’s Store Development Manager and the rest of the team and decided on the range as well as the chillers we wanted and the colour schemes. It has taken some time but it’s fantastic to get the store open,” he said.