Happy 18th Birthday, Larcombes of Beaminster
Behind the desk sits a very friendly chap who is never short of a smile, and some sage advice on whatever it is that you need for your building or DIY project. We chat to Simon Larcombe and the suitable 18 years of coming-of-age that this fantastic DIY shop will see this November.
“I will have been here 18 years in November!” Simon tells us. “My dad and I opened the shop 18 years ago. We were renovating a house up at Styles Close and getting incredibly annoyed by having to drive to Bridport every time we needed an extra tube of silicone or a box of screws,” he laughs. And when you walk into Larcombes, you’d understand exactly why Father and Son realised the need to create a place that provides immediate access to critical every-day things that both builder and DIY-er, and even just for anyone looking for a great little gift, would need. You’re quickly transported into a world of fervent industry with shelves packed full of anything from decorating supplies to kitchen gadgets.
“My dad used to have a builders merchants in Lyme Regis and was in the building trade himself.” We ask Simon about making the switch from the building world to the retail world. “Being a builder himself, he realised the need to be able to supply to builders like himself, locally. So he raised the funds, bought a building in Lyme Regis and opened up a great builders merchants which was eventually sold to larger business Travis Perkins. He then moved Beaminster-way and bought a few houses to renovate and develop. I helped him with that, and it was only when we realised the challenge of having local access to materials and tools that he decided that Beaminster needed a DIY shop too,” he laughs!
Simon’s father retired just over 7 years ago, which is when Simon stepped up to take over the running of the shop on a full-time basis.
We speak about some of the changes he’s seen throughout the 18 years of Larcombes’ trading existence. “When you look around, you realise that some of the shops in our town have been here for many years. The Mop Shop has been here for many years, and so has our pharmacy, the bakery and the greengrocer to name just a few. Some of them may have exchanged hands over the years, but they still serve the town today,” he says. And it’s when Simon says that that one realises actually just how wonderful our little town truly is. With so much change throughout the years, for a business to keep its doors open, and serving local and visiting customers alike, tells a lot about the ethos of that business.
We ask Simon about the changes he’s seen over the years, and our conversation turns to the Tunnel and the more recent ‘hole-in-the-wall’. “As with many businesses in the town, both the tunnel and the more recent cashpoint raid have brought their own set of challenges to the business. We’ve felt the more recent cash point incident much harder than when access to the town via Tunnel Road was removed in 2012, and that’s only because of the reduction in parking in the square while the builders have been working on renovating and restoring the property. Although it’s only a few spaces that have been removed, it still puts people off from making that extra effort to spend time in the town. The way that we have been able to pull through such challenging events has purely been down to the amazing support we have received, and continue to receive, from local residents. It’s amazing how the locals rally round and stand by you when things like this happen. They realise that if they don’t use you, they will lose you, and we appreciate them immensely because they’ve helped us to keep our doors open and keep delivering for them.”
We ask Simon what some of the more regular requirements are from his customers. “People come in for all sorts of things, really. We run a large amount of trade accounts here too – which makes it easy for local tradespeople to pop in and grab what they need quickly and effectively. We are a Crown Trade Paint Centre, which means that we can mix all the Crown colours here on site, and get the colours they need. Key cutting is a very popular service that we offer too, he says.”
One of Simon’s more memorable visits included a customer of a different breed – a Shetland Pony no less. “A lady had a Shetland pony with her, and needed to pop in for a couple of things. She didn’t want to leave the horse outside on the road, so we offered to have her bring it into the shop. That’s probably the strangest visit we’ve had, but certainly one of the most memorable!”
When Simon isn’t running the store, he’s kept incredibly busy by his energetic 1-year old son that takes up most of his time. We ask him future plans, and Simon laughs. “I plan to be here for a long time yet. I don’t plan on going anywhere. One day Oliver (my son) may want to take over!” A true family business in the making.
As the chiller months approach, out go the fans, and in come the heaters – and if you’re looking to get your home prepared for the wintery weather ahead, and need some supplies, then make sure you pop into Larcombes.
Make sure you pop into Larcombes of Beaminster at 2 Hogshill Street, the next time you’re in town, or give Simon a ring on 01308 862789 if you have specific requirements!
