Local business owners take lessons from Selfridges

‘Retail safari’ takes Kim and Tom McMurtry to England

Special to The Valley Echo

Kim and Tom McMurtry, owners of Europa in downtown Black Mountain, take a tour of Selfridges department store in Birmingham, England. The McMurtrys were two of the 20 retailers invited to attend the event. Photo courtesy of Kim McMurtry

Kim and Tom McMurtry, owners of Europa in downtown Black Mountain, participated in an exclusive “retail safari” at Selfridges department store in Birmingham, England. The McMurtrys were two of 20 retailers invited by Birmingham’s Spring Fair trade show to attend the Feb. 4 event.

Participants were guided through Selfridges’s four floors by Head of Customer Experience Joanna Kinsey, who offered retail advice on behalf of one of the world’s most recognizable department stores.

“It was such a treat to get an inside look at how Selfridges enhances customer experience,” Kim says. “We learned great tips on merchandising, signage and personal service, which we look forward to implementing at Europa.”

The McMurtrys opened their European-themed gift shop on Cherry Street in 2014. Inspired by their own European vacations, they import handcrafted gifts like Polish pottery, German nutcrackers and cuckoo clocks, Italian glass, French pocket knives and Scottish tartan accessories.

See europafinegifts.com for more information about Europa.