For over forty years shoppers in the west end of Aberdeen have enjoyed the area’s premier, country, lifestyle and equestrian store, Country Ways, and now the owners have expanded their business with the opening of Country Ways 2 in the Royal Deeside town of Banchory.
It’s a little-known fact that Country Ways actually started as a pharmacy! The precursor to the business was originally part of Charles Michie’s Pharmacy on Powis Terrace, Kitty Brewster. It not only benefited from being close to three doctors’ surgeries but had its busiest day on a Friday, when the nearby Aberdeen cattle market was open. The canny farmers would make the most of their day in the big city buying and selling their beasts but also stocking up on essentials. An opportunity to purchase the shop next door presented itself to John and Charles Michie, joint owners and brothers of the business, who jumped at the chance. Charles Michie Farm Sales was opened soon after to service the needs of the farmers and their animals.
At the same time, the Northeast of Scotland was starting to see the economic benefits of the oil and gas industry, which brought with it the interest and means for people to take up horse riding and horse ownership. Charles recounts the meteoric change with the explosion of people enjoying everything the equestrian world had to offer, in turn their customers requesting “horsey stuff”. “There was nowhere in Aberdeen or the shire that people could go to purchase not just the items the horses needed but also the riders”. So The Aberdeen Tack Room was born.
He smiles as he recounts “Saturdays were utter bedlam but such fun, the children would come into the store to get kitted out from top to toe as well as their ponies’ bits and pieces being purchased”
In the late seventy’s the mart moved to its current home at Thainstone, Fridays were no longer so busy, but the equestrian department continued to go from strength to strength. The Michie brothers took the decision to close The Aberdeen Tack Room and launch their new store, Country Ways, on the corner of Great Western Road and Holburn Street.
The well-known Aberdeen store with its feature gable wall, which was originally decorated with a horse and rider, but now features an iconic large-scale mural – part of the highly successful Aberdeen Inspired NuArt street art project – is an Aladdin’s cave of wonders for all country and equestrian enthusiasts. The reassuringly familiar smell of the wax jackets and leatherwork welcomes its customers who, like the owners, are now onto the third generation.
Forty-three years since Country Ways opened its doors in Aberdeen, the Michie family are now expanding with the opening of Country Ways 2 in the Royal Deeside town of Banchory. John and Charles are still very much involved, but the running of the stores is in the hands of Charles’s daughter, Rosemary, and her team.
Rosemary comments, “we’re very excited with this new phase of the business that we are entering, and despite very challenging times recently for the retail, we remain passionate about the high street and the communities we serve. Our team have worked flat out this past year to adapt to the changing needs and shopping habits of customers during the pandemic; including opening an out-of-town Christmas pop-up shop, a complete overhaul of our website and in-store IT system to make it easier to shop online with us and learning to do all our seasonal buying over zoom! It’s been quite a year and culminating in opening a new store is something really special indeed.”
The gloriously spacious store is situated in the ideal position opposite the main car park, and it’s 7 large windows giving customers an enticing glimpse of what lies instore. Stepping inside you are greeted by a team of cheerful, knowledgeable staff, who all obviously love their jobs, and with their customer service being second to none the discerning shopper is in for a real treat. Big brand names have moved with them too, including Fairfax & Favor, Barbour, Dubarry and many more – offering shoppers a great selection of fashionable country and equestrian clothing, footwear and accessories. They even have introduced luxury foods and sweets, gifts and there’s a dedicated room full of dog apparel, treats and training equipment – heaven for your four-legged friends.
Sophie Bultitude, manager at Country Ways, said “After the 18 months we’ve all had it’s great to have the store back open and servicing customers old and new. There’s always such a great atmosphere and buzz, which makes it such a wonderful place to work. The conversation with our customers has always been an important part of the way we work and has been hugely missed! The new store in Banchory has been a very exciting project for the whole team, it was Banchory’s worst kept secret! The expansion has opened us up to new markets, customers, and communities with endless opportunities. It has also led to the edition of new team members who are very knowledgeable and share our passions. The new store has brought a whole different dimension to Country Ways, and I can’t wait to see what the future brings.”
Russell Borthwick, Chief Executive of Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce added: “We are clear that, despite recent challenges, bricks and mortar retail is alive and well and that customers will continue to value and seek out the extra levels of personal service and experience that is offered, in particular, by independent stores. I’m delighted to see such a well-kent business as Country Ways sharing this view and investing in a 2nd store in Banchory more than 40 years after their first outlet opened in the city. This is another sign that the economic outlook for our fantastic region remains positive”.
It is heartening to see a family run business, established 100 years ago and now on its 4th generation, going from strength to strength. They have adapted and moved with the times, survived a war, twenty-one prime ministers and the latest obvious challenge of a global pandemic. Throughout the ten decades offering their customers a superb in-person retail experience, mirroring this with their online presence and now opening their flagship store Country Ways 2.
www.countryways.com
