A BOUTIQUE owner says competition from internet shopping is “killing off the high street” – and forcing her to close her town centre store.
Independent designer label store Pixie Pop & Posh will close the doors at its store in Queen Street later this summer in favour of running an online-only business.
In an email to customers, owner Selina Bashir said: “Unfortunately, the economics of running a high street boutique don’t make sense any more.”
Selina, who lives at Lindley and took a business management course at Huddersfield University, opened the store seven years ago at the age of 24 after working for a number of department stores.
The shop, housed in a four-storey Georgian building, sells a range of women’s clothing and accessories labels, including Day Birger et Mikkelsen, Maison Scotch, One Teaspoon and Vero Moda.
The store operated as a “bricks and mortar” business as well as running a transactional website.
Selina said the business would now focus on its online operation while also hosting several “pop-up” events throughout this season and beyond.
All four employees will remain with the business as it goes entirely online, but its current season stock in-store along with fixtures and fittings are being sold off at hugely discounted prices.
Selina said: “Most of our customers say they shop online now. We have noticed a difference in footfall. The internet is killing the high street.”
Selina said the shop’s website had only been up and running for 18 months, but had already sold to customers in Australia, Canada, France, Italy and the United Arab Emirates.
She said: “By going entirely online we will reduce our overheads and catch those customers who routinely shop online.”
The email said: “After seven brilliant years, we have finally decided to close Pixie Pop & Posh boutique, but will continue online and with regular pop up shops.”
It added: “Unfortunately, the economics of running a high street boutique don’t make sense any more. We really appreciate your custom and look forward to your support with our online business and future events.”
The Queen Street building will join a long list of vacant shop units in the town centre, notably ones in Market Street , Cross Church Street, Imperial Arcade, Byram Arcade, John William Street, New Street and Victoria Lane.
The move comes as a survey by accountancy firm PwC found that retailers were still being squeezed by constraints on consumer spending.
The survey showed that three-quarters of 100 high street traders were running sales or advertising promotions such as three-for-two.
That’s almost double the figure of 40% in 2009, but only slightly up on the figure of 73% a year ago. The figures were 70% and 60% in 2011 and 2010 respectively.
