Mister Gees Limited
Mister Gees Limited opened its first shop, a traditional Confectioners, Tobacconist and Newsagents on Warwick Parade on the 7th of September 1972. It ceased retail trading with the closure of the railway station kiosk in January 2004.
During the intervening thirty two years it had operated nine retail outlets ranging from a 12 sq mtr kiosk to a 600 sq mtr supermarket, with a butchers, bakers, take away food shop and specialist wine merchants in between. They had a combined turnover that grew from a few pounds on the first day to several million pounds a year by the time the business ceased retail trading..
It opened one of the very first true convenience stores in the UK, although not knowing that that was what they would later be called when it moved the original newsagents business into an old International Supermarket on the same site amid comments of “why would you?” and “that’ll never work”.
The company has been recognized with three major industry awards, the independent grocer of the year, the Independent Off Licence News, wine specialist of the year and the Phillip Morris Best CTN accolade.
Other ventures apart from retailing included a take away food shop in Witham, the importation of wine racking from Australia together with the construction and manning of display stands and tastings for the Australian Wine Bureau at a variety of events from The BBC Good Food Show at the NEC, Birmingham to Vinexpo in Bordeaux.
It operated a business consultancy company based in Australia called CCXII and owns domestic and commercial property, including Warwick Parade.
Mister Gees Limited has now assisted in the formation of Mister Gees Foundation Limited, a not for profit company, limited by guarantee at Companies House.
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