The Locker Room


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Latest features Forthcoming features Subscriptions Job classifieds Tweet June/July 2010 Retailer showcase: Reasons for Nortje’s success: He serves the community by coaching school teams, organising and sponsoring events, doing fundraising for the church, etc. In turn, the community supports him; Despite additional transport costs, he does not sell higher than the price recommended by the brand, and customers therefore have no need to go to a bigger town to find better prices; Most of his products are in the middle price ranges — concentrating on value for money gear that most of his customers can afford, with only one expensive brand; Service is of the utmost importance and “clients come first”. He will immediately order if they ask for a product he doesn’t stock; The Nortje’s don’t live above their means and do not run into debt by spending on personal luxuries. The Locker Room: Community service pays off Cradock is a few 100km from all big towns, yet the townspeople can buy the latest fashion ranges and equipment for all sports at the local sport store. By serving the needs of the community, The Locker Room has built up a loyal clientele who in turn support them The photographs of anglers displayed in the fishing section of The Locker Room in Cradock go a long way towards explaining how this Eastern Cape retailer beats the challenges facing an independent trader off the beaten track. The photo-montage of his customers with fish they caught with tackle bought in this store illustrates a level of interaction between customers and retailer that is impossible to duplicate in a chain. The Locker Room is also a valued fundraiser for the local church through sponsoring an annual angling competition; owner Juane Nortje coaches rugby and cricket at the local school and sponsors an U13 cricket day. He also organises sports-related events at schools, for example, by inviting Eastern Cape bat maker Bellingham & Smith to show the youngsters how a bat is made. Because he contributes to the community, the community is more than willing to support him. Nortje bought The Locker Room from Eddie Nel of Nommer Pas (owner of sport stores in Graaff-Reinet, Colesberg and Middelburg) in October 2006 when he resigned from Correctional Services after nearly 16 years. Nel had bought the store, always known as Juan’s Store, after the owner had an accident. About two years ago Nortje and his wife Alrina, born and bred in Cradock, bought a building a block away and moved the store to this new location. In the first three years they managed to grow sales by 22%, 20% and 18% respectively, mainly by increasing their stock and ranges. They now carry a wide variety of brands in a wide range of categories in order to meet all of the community’s diverse sporting and sportswear needs. There are three tennis clubs in the area; three dams close to the town where the 70-odd members of the angling club catch carp, barbel and yellowfish; several schools that excel at a variety of sports (the agricultural school Marlow High was in the top 8 of the 2009 FNB Classic Clashes); and with more than 90 schools in the Cradock district (farm schools included) a community of youths who want to stay up-to-date with the latest sportswear fashions and brands. Needless to say, they also do well from the sale of school wear. During the recession clothing sales took a knock, but shoes were still doing very well, says Nortje. Canvas is especially very popular with his customers seeking leisure footwear, but the brands he stocks span the full spectrum from lifestyle fashion, leisure to performance ranges. With local boys Deon Stegmann playing for the Blue Bulls and Stephan Sykes for the Sharks, the replica jerseys of these teams are also popular. One of Nortje’s main challenges is to provide all the aspirational brands at affordable prices so that his customers do not feel the need to go and shop in Port Elizabeth. He makes sure that he caters for everybody and orders what he does not stock. Meeting all the needs sometimes requires a boer maak ‘n plan attitude because more than 200km from Port Elizabeth and East London and 350km from Bloemfontein, Cradock is not high on the visiting list of some agents for certain brands. The agents who do visit and look after him to ensure that he receives his goods are therefore very much appreciated. And it is only human to be more enthusiastic about these brands when selling to customers, Nortje admits. Juane and Alrina Nortje (first and second from left) are supported by enthusiastic staff members Shane Caesar, Annabel Gouws and Bonga Funani * Read our copyright notice before making use of this article Back to retailer showcase

June/July 2010

Retailer showcase:

Reasons for Nortje’s success:

He serves the community by coaching school teams, organising and sponsoring events, doing fundraising for the church, etc. In turn, the community supports him;

Despite additional transport costs, he does not sell higher than the price recommended by the brand, and customers therefore have no need to go to a bigger town to find better prices;

Most of his products are in the middle price ranges — concentrating on value for money gear that most of his customers can afford, with only one expensive brand;

Service is of the utmost importance and “clients come first”. He will immediately order if they ask for a product he doesn’t stock;

The Nortje’s don’t live above their means and do not run into debt by spending on personal luxuries.

The Locker Room: Community service pays off

Cradock is a few 100km from all big towns, yet the townspeople can buy the latest fashion ranges and equipment for all sports at the local sport store. By serving the needs of the community, The Locker Room has built up a loyal clientele who in turn support them

The photographs of anglers displayed in the fishing section of The Locker Room in Cradock go a long way towards explaining how this Eastern Cape retailer beats the challenges facing an independent trader off the beaten track. The photo-montage of his customers with fish they caught with tackle bought in this store illustrates a level of interaction between customers and retailer that is impossible to duplicate in a chain.

The Locker Room is also a valued fundraiser for the local church through sponsoring an annual angling competition; owner Juane Nortje coaches rugby and cricket at the local school and sponsors an U13 cricket day. He also organises sports-related events at schools, for example, by inviting Eastern Cape bat maker Bellingham & Smith to show the youngsters how a bat is made. Because he contributes to the community, the community is more than willing to support him.

Nortje bought The Locker Room from Eddie Nel of Nommer Pas (owner of sport stores in Graaff-Reinet, Colesberg and Middelburg) in October 2006 when he resigned from Correctional Services after nearly 16 years. Nel had bought the store, always known as Juan’s Store, after the owner had an accident. About two years ago Nortje and his wife Alrina, born and bred in Cradock, bought a building a block away and moved the store to this new location.

In the first three years they managed to grow sales by 22%, 20% and 18% respectively, mainly by increasing their stock and ranges. They now carry a wide variety of brands in a wide range of categories in order to meet all of the community’s diverse sporting and sportswear needs. There are three tennis clubs in the area; three dams close to the town where the 70-odd members of the angling club catch carp, barbel and yellowfish; several schools that excel at a variety of sports (the agricultural school Marlow High was in the top 8 of the 2009 FNB Classic Clashes); and with more than 90 schools in the Cradock district (farm schools included) a community of youths who want to stay up-to-date with the latest sportswear fashions and brands. Needless to say, they also do well from the sale of school wear.

During the recession clothing sales took a knock, but shoes were still doing very well, says Nortje. Canvas is especially very popular with his customers seeking leisure footwear, but the brands he stocks span the full spectrum from lifestyle fashion, leisure to performance ranges. With local boys Deon Stegmann playing for the Blue Bulls and Stephan Sykes for the Sharks, the replica jerseys of these teams are also popular.

One of Nortje’s main challenges is to provide all the aspirational brands at affordable prices so that his customers do not feel the need to go and shop in Port Elizabeth. He makes sure that he caters for everybody and orders what he does not stock. Meeting all the needs sometimes requires a boer maak ‘n plan attitude because more than 200km from Port Elizabeth and East London and 350km from Bloemfontein, Cradock is not high on the visiting list of some agents for certain brands. The agents who do visit and look after him to ensure that he receives his goods are therefore very much appreciated. And it is only human to be more enthusiastic about these brands when selling to customers, Nortje admits.

Juane and Alrina Nortje (first and second from left) are supported by enthusiastic staff members Shane Caesar, Annabel Gouws and Bonga Funani

* Read our copyright notice before making use of this article

Back to retailer showcase