A new Nisa store in the small Leicestershire town of Earl Shilton has opened on the site of a former Co-operative building, following a two-year family-run project.

The 2,000 sq.ft. store has been re-developed and re-designed to preserve as many of the 132-year-old building’s original features as possible.

Sukhi Dhami, who runs the Nisa Local store alongside his brother Arun and their parents Avtar and Harminder, said the family had coveted the building for several years but had to persuade the previous owner to sell it to them.

He said: “Our family has lived in Earl Shilton for about 16 years and so we knew the building. It was quite run down and being used to store carpets and we knew we could make it into something special.”

The building has now been gutted and fitted out with wood effect flooring, suspended fixtures and bespoke lighting. The store also boasts a barista coffee shop and hot food to go offer alongside an extensive beers, wines and spirits section.

Sukhi added: “I did’t want a store that everyone else has got. This is a really special building and it was important that we got it right for the town and offer them something different.”

The new Nisa Local Earl Shilton store is also located just a few hundred metres away from a large Co-op, but the family weren’t put off by the competition.

“Having the Co-op down the road didn’t put us off one bit,” Sukhi explained. ”They have a great range and we are stocking lots of Co-op lines, but we offer something different to the Co-op. We are a family-owned business, we live within the community and that’s our point of difference that we hope will bring people in.”