Tag: Margiotta

Margiotta chain expands with help from HSBC

Edinburgh’s leading independent convenience retailer is set to expand thanks to £725,000 funding from HSBC UK.

Margiotta is set to open up a new store in the city’s Shandon area on Harrison Gardens after using the funding to purchase and fit out the 2,000 sq ft premises, which was previously owned by an architecture firm.

The store will be the family-run business’ second outlet in the Shandon area of Edinburgh. The new space will be used to host food and drink from local suppliers, such as Fortitude Coffee and Heather Hills Honey, as well as a wide range of homeware products. The existing store will remain as a newsagent confectioner with the addition of homemade gelato, paninis and artisan coffee for sit in or take away.

The new premises is almost double the size of its current store in the area and will enable Margiotta to significantly increase its offering of locally sourced produce, as well as kitchenware items.

The new store is due to open in summer this year and is expected to create 16 – 20 new jobs.

Franco Margiotta, Founder and Managing Director of Margiotta, said: “Both we and our customers value local produce from quality suppliers, so we’re looking forward to being able to expand our product range with our increased footprint.

“HSBC UK’s support has helped us to grasp the opportunity to buy this new space, and explore a new venture as we bring to life our first café-style venture at our older store.”

Ash McBrearty, Corporate Relationship Director at HSBC UK, said: “It’s fantastic to see an independent business born and bred in Edinburgh grow and thrive. We’ve enjoyed working with the Margiotta family to help them expand their retail portfolio and diversify their offering.”

Margiotta currently works with over 45 local suppliers.

The store was established in the early 1970s by Franco Margiotta and his brother. Together they opened their first shop in Marchmont selling food and wine. The family business has gradually expanded over the years and Margiotta has 10 shops across Edinburgh and East Lothian, with its 11th store soon to open on Harrison Gardens.

Margiotta moves into East Lothian

Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has completed on the sale of Aberlady Village Store to Edinburgh-based small Italian retail chain, Margiotta Food & Wine. The Aberlady Village Store was previously owned by Mrs Iram Amjad-Hiroz.

Margiotta, the family-run business operating eight convenience stores in Edinburgh, has acquired the Aberlady Village Store, its first site in the popular coastal village of East Lothian, located 18 miles east of Edinburgh.

The store is centrally positioned along the main road running through the town. Margiotta offers a vast range of local and organic food, fresh baked goods, food-to-go, drinks, deli and an impressive wine selection.

The story of Margiotta Food & Wine started in 1957, when Pierino, Eleonora and their six children moved from a small village on the Apennine foothills in Lazio, Italy to a flat in Commercial Street in Leith, Edinburgh.

The family worked very hard to try and make a decent living and were able to rent their first shop in 1963.  This was a little sweet and ice cream store located at the top of St Mary’s Street, just off the Royal Mile.

From there, they opened another in the Canongate, and another on Brougham Street, Tollcross and subsequently bought their first shop on Marchmont Road.

It was from then that the family really started to grow and establish the Margiotta brand, enabling them to buy up the whole corner of Marchmont Road and Spottiswoode Road. One of the sons, Franco, set out on his own in 1989 with the purchase of Warrender Park Road, and the rest followed. Even though the business has grown substantially over the years, it has remained a family-run and very personal company.

New owner, Franco Margiotta, comments: “We, at Margiotta Food & Wine, are very excited to be opening in Aberlady. This will be our first venture out of Edinburgh, and I couldn’t be happier than to be heading for East Lothian.

“I have always loved this part of Scotland either playing golf on its many marvelous courses or following in the steps of John Muir. Our aim has always been to make shopping a pleasant experience for our customers and we hope that, despite the current crisis, the good people of Aberlady will be in for a treat.”

Daniel Arrandale, Director of Retail at Christie & Co, comments, “Aberlady was attractive to Franco for many reasons, one of which was the strong sense of local community. With a catchment population of around 1,500 and, as the only local convenience store, it offers a pivotal service to many.

“The opening of this store is particularly important at this moment in time. With Franco and his team able to increase capacity and range, this front-line service can continue to assist the village during these difficult times. It has been a tremendous effort from both sides and their solicitors to pull this deal together.”