Retail chain Nice ‘n’ Naughty is marking its 15th anniversary this month and it is inviting its customers to join in with the celebrations with a special offer. It currently has 11 stores, ranging from Brighton in the south to Newcastle in the north, but its first store opened in Chester on 31st August 1999 and it rapidly became one of the pioneers of next-generation adult retail in the UK. Managing director Simon Prescott explained: “I never would have thought of myself as a pioneer when we challenged Chester City Council’s view in 2001 that adult stores should have blacked out windows. It just seemed right that we be allowed to put mannequins on display. Nice ‘n’ Naughty set a new trend, which was not only followed by our other stores, but also by many of those in the industry.”
Nice ‘n’ Naughty was also one of the first adult retailers to move away from being an exclusively male-oriented environment, creating bright airy stores in which women and couples would feel welcome and comfortable. Prescott believes that store staff play a pivotal role in creating this environment and Nice ‘n’ Naughty was the first adult retail chain to be gain Investors in People status in recognition of its commitment to staff development. One of the ways stores have become integrated into their communities has been through sponsorship of local football, netball and cricket teams, in addition to staging charity events at a local and national level.
During its 15 year history it has received a number of accolades, including picking up the Best Retail Chain trophy six times at the annual ETO Awards. Prescott said: “Winning the awards is simply a reflection of the tremendous hard work and dedication of the Nice ‘n’ Naughty team. We are fortunate in having staff that genuinely care about customer service and enjoyment of our products. Whilst it would be wrong to single out any individuals, it would be equally wrong not to mention Trish Murray, the operations manager, who makes things tick on a daily basis. She is a mother hen to our staff, a source of council to our suppliers and an invaluable asset of the company.”
To celebrate the firm’s crystal anniversary it will be giving its customers a 15% discount on any purchases during September. “This is a Thank You for helping Nice ‘n’ Naughty become the success it is today,” said Prescott. “Just pop into our stores, sing Happy Birthday – or just say it if you prefer- and they will deduct 15% from your bill. For those customers who buy online at www.nicennaughty.co.uk simply type ‘birthday’ at the checkout. I would like to thank our customers for their patronage over a memorable 15 year journey together and I eagerly look forward to the next 15 years.”
