"I really think people love opportunities to take what they see online and become part of it in real life. I think as humans we respond to authenticity when we see it online. No fancy editing here!"
I think the thing that surprises people the most when they come in is the complete variety of items that we have, and the very wide range of things that we offer. Everybody smiles here. There's never anybody that's unhappy or grumpy.
Ken Murphy stated, 'In terms of tax pressures, industry and energy in particular, anything the government can do to help us to keep prices low for customers is welcome.' This highlights the urgent need for government intervention to support retailers.
As we continue investing to expand and enhance our retail stores and offerings worldwide, we remain deliberate about evaluating our existing locations to ensure that we can meet our customers' needs in the best way.
Without any viable offers to take the business forward, it was not possible for The Original Factory Shop to continue trading and all remaining stores were closed on 4 April 2026.
Ali's store, Fly Vape, is located in Cheetham Hill, Manchester, an area that has become a surprising hub for the vaping industry, housing over 50 outlets specializing in vaping products.
"When you're a public company, your scorecard is your stock price, and that has a lot to do with the results you generate. If the investment community doesn't think very highly of department stores, which they don't, your multiple goes down."