2007 ARCHIVE ~ Colchester Shop Set-Up

After many years of wanting to have its own Evolution Shop, in 2007 Colchester finally got one. The trend in recent years in most of our shops has been towards mixed teams of Buddhists and Non-Buddhists. Colchester was our first shop for many years that started life being run by a completely Buddhist Team. Most of whom were involved in some way with the shop set up before its opening. Here is a selection of photographs of that set up in progress.   

2012 ARCHIVE - Our Buyers go shopping

Here's a short video of our two Buyers Vajraketu and Jnanasalin on a buying trip to the largest Trade Fair in the world in Guangzhou in China. It will perhaps give you a little taste of what finding goods likely to sell in our Evolution Shops and to our Wholesale customers can involve.

W:E go shopping from windhorse evolution on Vimeo.

2011 ARCHIVE - Aryajaya on the value of Windhorse:evolution

When a business such as ours doesn't make much profit, it has less to give away, what would be the point in  continuing? Ayrajaya puts forward a few ideas.

Aryajaya on the value of Windhorse:evolution from windhorse evolution on Vimeo.

2011 ARCHIVE - Evolution Christmas Windows

Every year our Evolution shops have themed windows for the Christmas season. This year the overall theme of Brown Paper Packages, was carried through into the banner, price tags, and specially made display boxes. Members of our Property and Warehouse Teams for a number of weeks, were assembling and stencilling hundreds of these boxes, ready to be dispatched to our shops. Here are a selection of Evolution Shop windows from across the chain.. 

Brighton Bond

Ipswich

Norwich

Nottingham

Sheffield

West London

2011 ARCHIVE - New Shop in Nottingham

Our existing shop in Nottingham in the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre, has been on a short term rolling lease for a number of years pending a massive redevelopment. With the credit crunch this plan appeared to have been shelved. Then suddenly a few months ago, Westfield who manage the Centre said they wanted us to relocate whilst they revamped. The alternative they offered didn't suit us, so we found another site in the near bye Victoria Centre. We intend running both the old and new shops until after Christmas, when the Broadmarsh Evolution will sadly have to close. Here are a couple of shots of the New Nottingham Shop.

2011 ARCHIVE - We open a new shop - Evolution Leicester

After a bit of a hiatus on opening new retail outlets due to the credit crunch, we've bravely opened a new shop, this time in Leicester. With a good position, footfall, and the first few weeks takings being remarkably good, it bodes well for the lead up to Christmas, our busiest and most profitable time of year.

1990's ARCHIVE - Evolution Valencia

For over a decade of more we had a franchise shop in Valencia in Spain. Started with the enthusiasm of a number of people from the Valencia Buddhist Centre Sangha. It struggled for many years to pay its way, and become profitable, and unfortunately had to be closed a few years back. But here are a few photographs of it shortly after it opened.

2004 ARCHIVE - A Day in Evolution Cambridge

Running and working in an Evolution shop, 

has a bit more to it than just opening your doors and taking money from our customers.

Amarachandra

There are window displays to arrange

Turanya & Steve serving at the counter

customers enquiries and returns to resolve

Akashadeva

stock on the shelves to be replenished or areas re-merchandised

Jenny restocking

Steve unpacking

stock deliveries to be unpacked, checked off and priced up

Akashadeva in the stockroom

what stock can't be put out,  needs to be found a space in the store room

Akashadeva taking a well earned rest

and there's time for tea breaks, lunch and catching up on the news

Amritasukha loves the end of the day

at the end of the day there's the days takings to cash up ready to bank

Jenny

and there's the general clearing up and sweeping the floor of the days mess
before everyone can go home

2007 ARCHIVE - Evolving into a Gifthorse

We've had two shops in Brighton for many years. In 2007 the Retail Team decided to change our retail approach in our Brighton North West shop as a sort of 'bucket' bargain outlet for all our samples, end of lines, clearance, and poor selling stock. To recognise this shift in emphasis, the name on the fascia was changed from Evolution to Gifthorse, but we still used our standard type face and colours.

2007 ARCHIVE - Evolution Team Brighton Bond Street

EVOLUTION BRIGHTON BOND STREET

EVOLUTION SHOP TEAM BRIGHTON BOND STREET 2007

2002 ARCHIVE - Evolution Team West London

EVOLUTION SHOP TEAM WEST LONDON 2002

2004 ARCHIVE - Evolution Team West London

EVOLUTION SHOP TEAM WEST LONDON 2004