Derek Butel, managing director of Express Auto Parts at West’s Centre, added that due to the current retail climate many St Helier landlords are now more open to negotiating rent terms and there are bargains to be had.
The businessman, who also has a store at Havre des Pas, said that the high street is not, as others have suggested, dead but retailers need to offer their customers more if they want to survive.
His comments follow the closure of motoring shop Drivers last month, at premises adjacent to Mr Butel’s new store. The owner, Grant Longmuir, said that he could no longer compete with the internet.
Explaining why he chose to open a store in town, Mr Butel said: ‘We supplied Drivers for 18 years and when I heard they were closing down I had to jump in before someone else did.
‘People need parts and if you are working in town it is not always easy to get to Havre des Pas and back again during your lunch hour.
‘This just gives our customers a bit more convenience. We are trying to be a bit more on the ball and realise that we are competing with the internet.’
Earlier this year, St Helier town centre manager Daphne East said that town had the highest number of empty retail units since the 2008 recession.
And last month SandpiperCI chief executive Tony O’Neill said that parts of St Helier were turning into wastelands with outlets closing and leaving behind empty shops that are too expensive for new businesses.
However, Mr Butel said that landlords were now more keen to fill empty properties and he had managed to negotiate a good deal for his new shop.
‘Some landlords are not very flexible but we were able to come to a decent deal with ours,’ he said.
‘We came up with a shorter, four-year lease and were given a couple of months rent free to give us a chance to move in.
‘There are lots of people who say rent is too expensive but with a lot of landlords as long as you do not make them a silly offer, there are bargains to be had.’
The retailer, who has worked in the automotive industry for 45 years, added that some Jersey retailers were not offering good service and were losing out on custom as a result.
‘It is all down to service. If you do it right and customers enjoy coming to your shop then they will come back,’ he said.
‘Some of them are not customer-friendly and you need to go the extra mile – you have got to work for it.
‘I give my staff lots of training to make sure they are all knowledgeable and willing to help.’
