The value of Community Convenience: Meet A & C Stores

A & C Stores Ltd.

Froghall Road Cheadle ST10 1JR

Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday 5.30am - 10.00pm

Sunday 7.00am - 10pm

Nowadays, many people are short of time to shop and plan their day-to-day needs, making convenient shopping a necessity for us to live our best lives. For those of us in more rural areas, a local store is more than just convenient; it's a lifeline too.

We spoke with A & C Stores, the latest sponsor of COGNEW, to learn what makes a straightforward store convenient for the local community. Owner Ram, a well-known figure among local residents, has been the owner/manager of A & C for six and a half years with his partner Rav.

A & C Stores Owner, Ram with Local Councillor Bernie Charlesworth who assisted Ram with his planning.

One of the first things which is apparent on entering the store is the choice and variety available. Ram told us that he selects and collects all the products in the store personally from selected suppliers to make sure that customers get the best variety and value.

While you might eventually become familiar with some employees at a supermarket, the charm of your local convenience store is truly unique. You won't have to endure a lengthy walk to the entrance or navigate through countless aisles, only to feel overwhelmed or let down by the selection. Ram and his staff are friendly, familiar faces, providing timely advice or sharing local insights along with your daily newspaper. Many locals drop by for a chat, and for those who don't venture out often, this serves as a vital connection to the community.

For many youngsters, a visit to the local shop is their first encounter with an exchange of money for goods, and many of us have fond memories of using our local shop. Ram and his team offer that same experience to local youngsters.

Ram and Rav have introduced significant changes during their time here. They have implemented numerous new ideas to enhance convenience and variety for customers, with many more planned for the future.

A big change is the smart extension, which has added about 42 square meters of retail and storage space, enabling them to enlarge their frozen food, pet, and DIY ranges. The space feels so much brighter and bigger than before, and the shelves heave with everything you could need. I marvelled that the range of stationery, cooking equipment, and DIY essentials surpasses many supermarkets, and with clever organising, the much smaller space is able to accommodate the large range of products on offer.

Fish food, cat food, and all manner of animal accessories will keep pets perked up, and the range of home essentials means those niggly fixes or things you run out of won't prevent you from getting the job done.

One thing I particularly liked is the beautiful drinks section, which looks like an upmarket bar. Coffee and snacks are available to grab and go, and if you want pie for lunch, you can get that heated up too.

There's a post box and several parcel services in place, including Inpost and Yodel, with new Royal Mail parcel lockers coming soon. Even the pickiest eaters will find something lovely for dinner, whether that's something instant or something from scratch. Another convenience is being able to pay your bills, such as Council Tax or electricity, in-store.

Having a young family themselves helps Ram and Rav understand what their customers need and ensure it's available. They do that by considering scenarios such as the main things needed at home, trying to provide everything they would want themselves. It also gives them insight into the type of shop they want it to be, which is family-friendly. They've made changes to the front step so that the shop is more accessible for pushchairs and wheelchair customers.

An ongoing worry for the couple and their staff is that a lot of people have difficulty getting across that busy road, especially elderly people and children, because of the volume and speed of traffic, and the bend in the road which means traffic is upon them before they can get across. Ram believes a pedestrian crossing is necessary to avoid a serious accident, especially with further new home developments on the cards for the area.

Quality and convenience is at the heart of all the hard work the A & C team put in and it's delightful to see the community supporting this enterprising family securing this convenient shop for many years to come.

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The value of Community Convenience: Meet A & C Stores - created 3.9.25