Excellent Stores closes Frederick Street branch, focuses on digital retail

After 32 years Excellent Stores' Frederick Street branch will close its doors for the last time on December 31, as the company shifts towards online retail, to the company's chief operations officer Lisa Siu Chong said on Friday.

The closure of the branch was announced on Thursday as part of the company's efforts to revamp its business model and keep up with the demands of its customers.

But, speaking with Newsday, Siu Chong said the move was part of the company's overall plan to transition towards a more attractive destination downtown, citing the inclusion of newer stores in its Excellent City Centre mall.

Siu Chong said this strategy to develop close the store and bring in new tenants would tie in directly with Port of Spain's revitalisation.

"Excellent Stores the retail branch is part of the Excellent City Centre, so the centre is also going through a major change, in that recently the Prime Minister called on private companies to assist in the government's endeavour to revitalise Port of Spain and bring it back into a destination.

"We are doing our part. By closing the Excellent Stores doors, we are allowing the opportunity for Excellent City Centre itself to become a destination.

"So we have a lot of big plans for Excellent City Centre that will include more digitalised services, more modern services and tenants. We want to make it into a smart property, leveraging more eco-friendly options and technologies, so it's part of a bigger decision.

"So yes, the retail side is influenced by the move towards our whole digital transformation, but it's also part of the Excellent Group of Companies' decision in terms of working with the revitalisation project of Port of Spain."

Siu Chong said while the company was excited to begin this shift towards digitised services, none of the employees at the Frederick Street branch will lose their jobs, as they have already been "repurposed" for different roles in other locations.

Asked if her company had tenants in mind to rent the space used by the store, Siu Chong said, "We have some options."

When Newsday visited the branch on Friday, several people stood in line outside waiting to be allowed in for the store's Black Friday sale.

Speaking with Newsday, one customer, Mariah Sammy, said while she understood the decision to close the store, it would be an inconvenience to her,as she worked nearby.

"We really don't like the fact that this store is closing, because it's right here if you need something last minute, and it's much more convenient than online shopping, because you can actually come in and look around to see what's available."

Newsday also spoke to branch supervisor Gervais Nathaniel, who said while he understood the concerns of customers, there were other outlets available that would allow in-person shopping. But the company would be trying to balance the needs of those who preferred to visit stores and others who preferred online retail.

"We're trying to accommodate both in-store shopping – because there are other branches that still remain open – so we're trying to be flexible by being online as well. That arises because of covid19, by giving them that option to also purchase online."

Newsday also spoke to president of the Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (DOMA) Gregory Aboud, who said while the company will continue operations via its digital platforms, the loss of an actual store downtown was a "great loss" to the city.