Papplewick store’s personal touch keeps DIY projects rolling
When lockdown crisis hit, husband and wife team Hatim (Tim) and Arwa Hassanali were determined to keep their prices low and to ensure the families and elderly who needed supplies were well served.
Delivering from their store in their home village of Papplewick near Hucknall, to as far afield as Derby, they enabled customers to keep themselves busy with DIY projects. And that commitment has continued afterwards, providing everything from low-priced key cutting to home-delivered Calor gas to keep customers warm, gardening compost and designer paints for New Year makeovers.
Business owner Tim explains: “As long as people support us we are more than happy to go out of our way to serve them. We deliver as though it’s to your grandad’s house – so if he has a bad back, we will take the delivery to exactly where he wants it. We don’t just dump the delivery at the door.
“During lockdowns, local customers wanted us to deliver to their parents further away – we were busy but still happy to do that and managed to get deliveries out during the day and into the evenings. Families needed to stay occupied and we were able to deliver reasonably priced paint, rollers and timber, so that they didn’t need to travel around town.”
Their service didn’t go unnoticed, with them taking second place in a community poll to find the best and most helpful local businesses, as voted for by local residents.
DIY projects are still more popular than ever, as many home owners are working from home. Tim and his family offer a one-stop DIY and hardware shop, selling both direct to the customer and to those in the trade.
Tim says: “We offer the old-school service with a modern touch. If you go to a hardware chain, you will probably have to buy a blister pack but we sell loose items as well as packs; we understand that you may want to buy only one bolt, rather than 10 or 20, so sell them individually too. We also appreciate that younger couples and apprentices may want a more modern approach, so also keep up with the times.”
Tim’s father, Jabs, is an experienced engineer who works for the oil and gas industry and helps in the store at weekends. Tim said: “He shares his knowledge but he also keeps us grounded, so that we stay humble to our customers – which I think is important.”
By being an independent store, Papplewick DIY and Hardware is one of the select few which is able to stock the much sought-after Frenchic paint to give projects a designer touch. Tim said: “Instead of spending £20k on a new kitchen, you can spend £200 on Frenchic and get a great result with your own makeover.”
The store also stocks a range of gardening goods including compost, growbags, outdoor tools and even plants as we head towards spring. For specialist tools, they supply the well-known brands of Stanley, Eclipse, DeWalt, Bahco and Fiskars, as well as cheaper alternatives.
Traditional hardware services include some which have been lost from the high street, which include a useful tool sharpening service.
Tim – who previously owned a DIY store in Leicester and was proud to have the opportunity to serve his community closer to the home in the village he grew up in at Papplewick – also helps with charity work such as Nottinghamshire Blood Bikes, which delivers blood samples to hospitals.
To try Papplewick DIY and Hardware for yourself, visit the store in 5 Papplewick Lane, Hucknall, Nottingham NG15 7TN.
The store is open seven days a week: Monday to Friday 8.30am - 5pm, Saturday 9.30am-4pm and Sunday 9.30am-2pm.
Customer reviews:
“I’m considered ‘vulnerable’ by the NHS because of several underlying health issues and thus confined in my home. I needed some compost as we can still get out into our garden to make my confinement less taxing! This gentleman delivered it to my home …. I was truly touched by the helpful manner in which I was dealt with and the genuine kindness and concern given. I am looking forward in (hopefully) the not too distant future to meeting him in his store and shaking his hand. Companies like this, who go way above what is expected of them, deserve the support of both the local and greater communities. I most certainly will be buying from him again. Five-star service received and then some!”
“Love this little shop, can always get my random little items and I can use my card without a charge. What more can I ask for?!”
“Very helpful and knowledgeable guys. Would highly recommend for any DIY products and the have a high range of products. Would definitely visit again.”
“Great local hardware, has absolutely everything and more. Key cutting as well. Great staff, very friendly and helpful. Always try and use these guys instead of the big chains. Support local!”