A family-run furniture store in Aberdeen says their commitment to customer service and strong staff team is central to the business being nominated for a national award.
Annie Mo’s on Union Street in Aberdeen is one of the city businesses nominated in a national UK’s Favourite Local Business competition, sponsored by Miconex, and backed by the Aberdeen Gift Card.
Run by mother and duo Judith and Emily McDonald, Annie Mo’s was founded by former theatre nurse, Judith in 1991 with retail management RGU graduate Emily joining the business in 2014. Emily said they each have their own strengths:
“Annie Mo’s is a furniture shop but it’s also a lifestyle store with accessories and lots of unusual pieces. The store itself is full of character and personality. We’ve been in our current store on Union Street for 19 years, and I’ve been a part of the business for 10 years now. I tend to be in the shop more, plus look after the social media side whereas my mum is more behind the scenes looking at buying and online sales. We each have our own strengths.
“We try to go above and beyond for our customers, such as encouraging customers to show us pictures of the space they are buying for so we can offer personalised advice. With our home styling service, we’ll give advice on what will work directly in a customer’s home, arriving with a van load of furniture so we can see what fits the space. We start off doing one room and often move on to another, that’s how customers end up with an entire Annie Mo’s house!
“We’re fortunate to have a fantastic team, many have been with us from the start, and have a great delivery team too. Customers get to know the team and vice versa. Our community is important to us, whether that’s having a chat with a customer who’s popped in to say hello, or engaging with our customers on our social media channels.”
Annie Mo’s is part of the Aberdeen Gift Card from Aberdeen Inspired. Emily says the gift card gives recipients choice and locks spend into the city:
“The biggest challenge as a business is getting people through the door. The Aberdeen Gift Card is really good at doing that and keeping money local. It’s much better to give an Aberdeen Gift Card that gives the recipient the freedom to spend with lots of local businesses than a gift card for a single shop, it’s more flexible.
“It makes a massive difference to our business when people support local, and I think it’s a better experience for customers, especially with a product like furniture so you can see the size and the scale. We’re so chuffed to know that people have nominated us to be the UK’s Favourite Local Business and it would be amazing to win.”
Shops, restaurants, salons, hotels and attractions in Aberdeen– and right across the UK– are all eligible to be the UK’s Favourite Local Business 2024. People can nominate their favourite local business in the competition free at lovelocalwin.co.uk, giving the name of the local business they think deserves to win and a reason.
The UK’s Favourite Local Business will be the business who has the most nominations and will win a £500 Town & City Gift Card, such as the Aberdeen Gift Card, with one person who nominated the winning business receiving a £1000 Town & City Gift Card.
Other Aberdeen businesses nominated so far include Finnies The Jewellers, Al Fresco Italian Restaurant, Thistle Tavern, Signature 2, Mackie’s 19.2, The Green House and Highland Moss. Businesses can find out more about the competition online.
Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired said: “We’re pleased to see nominations flying in for Annie Mo’s, a well-respected city business, in this national competition, alongside nominations for many other businesses. It’s also heartening to see a range of sectors represented in the competition, including jewellers, restaurants, fashion retailers and even a garden centre, which also reflects the diversity on offer through our local gift card.”
Fintech Miconex, founders of the Town & City Gift Card concept, is sponsoring the UK’s Favourite Local Business 2024. Over 20,000 local businesses are part of Miconex’s local gift card programmes around the world with over £30m spent locally through the cards.
Colin Munro is the managing director of Miconex and said: “Aberdeen is renowned for its strong selection of local businesses, and its strong gift card proposition with over 320 businesses part of the initiative. In the run up to the key Christmas trading period, showing your support for local by shopping in the city, voting for your favourite business in the competition, or purchasing the Aberdeen Gift Card are all ways to play your part in keeping Aberdeen thriving.”
Enter the UK’s Favourite Local Business competition free at: www.lovelocalwin.co.uk
The competition closes on the 31st October 2024.
