The purpose-built Nisa Kimberlow Rise opened in February 2018 under the watchful eyes of multi-site store manager Adam Viney and retail operations manager Jackie North, who look after a total of three Nisa stores on different campuses at the University of York. Kimberlow Rise has an unusual hybrid demographic, with 3,000 cash-conscious students at the university’s East Campus, and local residents in the affluent Badger Hill estate. A clever balancing act keeps everyone happy.
Student-centric
The 2,999sq ft store sees 1,200 customers a day for 32 weeks of the year, when students make up 50% of its customer base.
The store boasts a larger-than-average alcohol range, including a wide selection of chilled wines and beers, and spirits in a backlit display behind the counter.
A mix of chilled ready meals and plenty of fresh options means students can cook their own meals. “Students like to get together and cook from scratch,” says Adam.
The store also stocks a range of student household essentials, everything from kettles to nail clippers.
An appealing range of own brands offers students good value. Adam says the store has been designated a model independent Nisa shop for incorporating the Co-op range.
Local loyalty
When the students are on holiday, the store is heavily reliant on locals so, unlike your average student store, it stocks a good selection of petcare and babycare products, plus newspapers.
Services such as Amazon Lockers and UPS access point are key to driving footfall in the quieter periods.
In order to strengthen its bond with locals, the store has a plastic token voting system whereby shoppers can choose which local charity the store supports. Adam claims it is only the second Nisa store to do this.
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