What is Gondola Shelving?

A question we get asked all the time is: "What is gondola shelving?" Many of our customers want to know:

• Is it a make of shelving?
• Is it a design of shelving?
• Do I need gondola shelving?

A gondola is a double-sided bay with retail shelves on each side. Gondola units are free-standing, designed to merchandise the centre of the shop floor. Gondola shelving units are made from heavy duty steel components which are interchangeable so that you can create any number of shelving configurations according to your needs. A standard backing for gondola shelves is plain back panelling, but peg board backing could also be used depending on the unit.

All retail shelves can be tilted at an angle - this is most commonly used when displaying confectioner goods or fruit and vegetables. Shelf risers can also be added to the shelves to keep products in place and stop goods sliding out.

Another advantage of using gondola shelving is that they maximise floor space and divide the store, creating aisles and giving a direction to traffic flow. This encourages shoppers to explore parts of the shop they might normally have missed, helping to increase impulse buys and additional purchases.

Promotional bays can be placed at either end of a gondola run. This will give a clean look to the store and add impact to promotional displays, giving a striking first impression to shoppers as they enter the store. An end bay can be used with shelves or can be fitted with peg board backing. Alternatively, wire stacking baskets can be added or placed on the base shelf of the unit to display crisps or hardware items.

We now offer our quality gondola shelving in a modern black or grey finish alongside the standard cream often found in stores. The black or grey is a great way to add a more modern touch to your store and to stand out as something a little different to your average store. We offer the following items in the black and grey finish:

- Wall Shelving

- Low Gondolas

- High Gondolas

- Magazine Units

- Shelves and Accessories

- Low End Bays

- High End Bays

- Corner Shelving

- Peg Board Wall Shelving

- Peg Board Gondola Shelving

- Peg Board Ends.

If you would like to view our full range visit our website or contact Shelving4Shops on 01455 221512 for expert advice and help planning your store update or refit. You can also visit our shop fitting showroom Asfare business park, Wolvey, Leicestershire, lE10 3JG.

Supermarket Shelving for Nigeria - in Time for Christmas?

At Shelving4Shops we're always happy to help with planning and designing our clients' shops, providing advice and guidance on layout, budget, shop shelving and shopfittings. So when I received an email on a cold, wet November day enquiring about supermarket shelving for a shop that needed to be renovated and open in time for Christmas, I got my pen and paper ready...

The email read: "We have a large shop in Nigeria and require shelving and fixtures for our supermarket. We are about 90% finished and would like to be open before Christmas," and came with a few pictures and a plan.

Great, I thought, with pictures and a plan this shouldn't take long. It wasn't until I opened the attachment that I nearly fell off my chair.

I thought, we must be talking about another Christmas. I mean, I've visited lots of shops in the past - some with whole walls missing and parts of the ceiling hanging down - but never one in such a raw state, and expecting to be finished and open in just eight weeks!

To add to my surprise, just a few minutes later the phone rang and I heard a faint voice asking: "Did you get my shop plan?"

"Yes," I replied, "But I'm not sure where to start as the drawings are a bit...vacant."

The store owner explained what he needed - shelving for the wall and gondola shelving for the middle of the shop. I assured him we'd do our best to help but that it might be a bit of a rush to be open for Christmas, seeing as there wasn't even a floor in the building yet...

So, after twenty minutes on the phone, a few rough drawings and a bit more information, we managed to send over a plan. All we need to do now is wait for the other '10%' of the shop to be finished! Stay posted and we'll let you know how it goes.

An Alternative to Used Shop Shelving

Shelving4Shops is a part of Shoptek UK - one of the UK's leading companies sourcing and selling used supermarket shelving and shop equipment. We have over 15 years of experience in the retail shelving industry, and we noticed a real need for an alternative to used shop shelving as some customers were unable to find the specific units they were after.

Shelving4Shops was created to fill that gap, and we provide a range of shopfittings and shop shelving, including:

• peg board shelving and peg board gondola units
• high and low gondola shelving
• high and low end bays
• wall shelving
• magazine shelving units
• shelving accessories
• refrigeration
• dump bins

Of course, we also offer used shelving as well, and if you have very specific needs, or can't find what you're looking for on our website or in our showroom, we'll do our very best to source the perfect shop shelving for you.

If you're looking for an alternative to used and second hand shop shelving, visit us at Shelving4Shops.co.uk, give us a call on 01455 221 512 or email sales@shelving4shops.co.uk for a quote!

Exciting times and a new venture for a young couple in Coventry

Starting a new business can be scary, but not if you choose the right location and product. And that's just what a young couple have done in the heart of the student area in central Coventry - the perfect location for a stationery shop. With high footfall on a busy street, their new venture is sure to be a winner.

After visiting our showroom they decided to go for one 7m long gondola shelving unit to be positioned down the centre of the store. Choosing high gondola shelving enabled them to display extra stock, and as the counter was located at the opposite end of the shop, they were able to see clearly down both sides of the unit.

The walls were already fitted with slatwall panels, which they decided to leave for hanging goods on. And, of course, as the business grows, additional wall shelving and other shopfittings can always be added to their store, for example peg board shelving, magazine racks, corner shelving units and shelving accessories that help with displaying and organising products.

As the shop is situated just 20 minutes from our showroom we quickly loaded up the van and dropped it off at their door. And as they asked so nicely (and gave me lots of coffee) I stayed an extra 20 minutes to assemble the shelving for them!

Shelving4Shops wishes them all the best with their new stationery store!

Visit our Shop Shelving Showroom in Leicester!

Have you been to our shop shelving and shopfittings warehouse yet? We're based in Wolvey, Leicestershire, and our warehouse is open 6 days a week. You're more than welcome to pop in for a wander round and a cup of tea while you discuss your shop shelving requirements with one of our experienced team.

We stock gondola shelving, peg board shelving, and wall shelving units, as well as all the extras and accessories you need to fit out your store. We're more than happy to advise on what kind of configurations are possible for your particular space and needs, and we can also source second hand and used shop shelving to help keep costs down.

If you're looking to add to an existing set of shelving units, we have extensive knowledge of all the major brands of shop shelving and shopfittings, and can help to identify and match your existing system.

You can order online, by phone, or in person at the showroom, and all deliveries are dispatched within 24 hours on weekdays, and 48 hours on weekends. The units we sell are transported in components for easy delivery, and we can help you assemble them once they're delivered, or simply provide you with instructions and leave you to it! It's up to you. (And if you get stuck, we're always on the end of the phone to offer extra help!)

Come and see us at the showroom and let us help you to improve your store!

Help With Shop Shelving and Shopfittings from Start to Finish

At Shelving4Shops we don't just sell shelves. Oh no. We really do provide help with your shopfittings and shop shelving from start to finish. That means:

• We'll be on hand to discuss your shelving requirements and work with you to create the best layout for your needs (and budget!).

• We'll advise you on the right kind of shelving for your products and space, whether that's gondola shelving, peg board shelving, or magazine racks!

• We'll source the best matching shelving units possible, if you need to add to existing shelving.

• We'll find you used and second hand shop shelving units if that's what you need, too.

• We'll give you an all-inclusive quote, with no hidden extras or charges.

• We'll deliver your shop shelving to your door and help you assemble it if you need us to.

• We'll provide you with all the shopfittings and extras you need to complete your store, such as wire shelf dividers and risers, Epos ticket strips and dump bins.

Below are just a few of the shelving options that we carry at Shelving4shops many of which are now available in black or grey:

- Wall Shelving -

- Gondolas - These are a classic choice of shelving for many stores, they can be used in stores that sell a range of products and we have them available in 4 heights and 4 widths to ensure that we have the perfect fit for your store.

- Magazine Units - By having magazines and other paper goods front covers clearly visible you increase the odds of people picking them up and purchasing them. Using purpose-built magazine units you can ensure the best display option for your store.

- Shelves and Accessories - Ensure that your shelves are fully customised to you and your store's needs. The simple addition of shelf dividers means that your products remain in the correct place and are neatly behind the product information on the shelf.

- End Bays - Not everyone walks up and down every aisle in a store but often they walk past the end of an aisle to get around the store or to get to the checkout. An end bay is a perfect place to put promotional offers or impulse purchase items to encourage shoppers to pick up extra items.

- Corner Shelving - Due to the shape of popular shelving, often the corner of a store gets left empty, the simple addition of a corner shelving unit gives you extra display room and ensures there is not an unkempt corner of the store.

- Peg Board Gondola Shelving - Not all products sit well on a traditional flat shelf, pegboard gives you the option to add hooks to allow you to hang items. Do not worry, if you run out of hanging items you can add shelves to pegboard shelving to ensure you never lose display space.

Whether your business is just starting out or you're planning a full store refit, get in touch for experienced, down-to-earth help with all your shop shelving and shopfittings needs.

Shopfittings for a Cambridge pet food store

When Ash from Cambridge enquired about shopfittings for his new venture, we were happy to help. He needed to create a retail space to display and stock pet food supplies, and came down to our showroom with the dimensions of his unit to discuss his requirements. We sat down with Ash and helped to design a floor plan that would best suit his products and customers. The unit was divided in two, so we focused on designing the first phase.

The first phase needed wall shelving units around the perimeter, and these units needed to have large shelving that would take the weight of the pet food it would be displaying. Next we designed the shop shelving for the central floor area. We were able to fit two rows of gondola shelving along the middle, making one of them slightly shorter than the other so that there would be a natural flow through to the second unit. All the gondola shelving units were 1.4m high, ensuring it would be easy to lift heavy products off the top shelves. Gondola end bays were fitted on one side, adding extra retail space to the shop and finishing the run nicely.

Dump bins and wire shelf risers were also fitted after we had assembled the shelving units, giving a clean and professional look, and helping Ash to organise and display his products appropriately.

Phase two also needed wall and gondola shelving, to which we fitted peg board shelving, allowing him to display a range of hanging products at different heights. And finally, to finish the store, we fitted a counter.

The Shelving4Shops team wishes Ash all the best with his latest store developments - we're always here to help, from start to finish!

Shop Shelving and Shopfitting Innovation at Equipmag 2012

Shelving4Shops is always on the lookout for new and innovative designs for shop shelving and shopfittings. We were excited, therefore, to visit the Equipmag 2012 show in Paris - a fantastic retail fair that exhibits a great range of shopfittings supplies.

A big part of our business is sourcing new and cheap shop shelving products to keep up with the high demand of our customers. Finding cost-effective suppliers helps us to pass on savings to you! At Equipmag, we visited new suppliers selling retail shelving, trolleys, gondola shelving and shopfittings, as well as some brilliant new retail innovations on design and  customer experience.

We stock a wide range of new and used shop shelving, including peg board shelving, gondola shelving, magazine units and a variety of wall shelving. Get in touch to discuss your requirements and we'll do our best for find the right sort of shop shelving for you!

Speedy Shop Shelving for Loughborough

New shop shelving delivered and fitted within an hour? Easy. When Mr Ram from Leicester told us he had just taken on a new shop in Loughborough and needed a full refit we were happy to help. Every shop fitting poses its own challenges, and that's where it helps to have experience in sourcing the right type of shop shelving for the job.

Mr Ram's first request was for three second hand multideck chillers for storing and displaying beer and wine. We've built up a great list of contacts within the retail industry over the years, and so were able to put him in touch with Mike Lease from Platinum Cooling in Swindon who was able to supply exactly what Mr Ram was looking for.


Before and after images below:

Next was the shop shelving itself. We needed to fit gondola shelving and wall shelving units into the shop, including a corner unit, and ensure that wall shelving could be fitted around a pillar on the back wall. We were able to do just that, building 470mm shelving and 370mm shelving units so that the fronts of the shelves sat flush and didn't stick out around the pillar.

It's really important to take into consideration all the aspects of your floor plan and the positions of your walls when designing your store refit, or undertaking new shelving configurations. There's nothing worse than a badly set out shop that causes problems for staff and customers, reduces space and creates an inefficient layout. We're happy to help with your shop plans so please get in touch to speak with one of our experienced staff if you need a hand deciding on what type of shop shelving is right for you.

Despite these challenges we were able to deliver the shelving, show Mr Ram how to assemble it and one hour later it was all completed! Job done. 

Shelving4Shop Help Brinvale Bird Foods to Expand with Pegboard Shelving

We recently supplied shop shelving and racking to Brinvale Bird Foods for their new showroom in Melton Mowbray. Due to the fast expansion of Brinvale's online business, the bird food suppliers are in the process of building a brand new showroom and shop in Leicestershire. The company chose shop shelving with pegboard backing to give them flexibility in their display options. Pegboard shelving is ideal for displaying products at different heights, and makes it quick and easy to adapt and change your display when required.

Brinvale Bird Foods also invested in used pallet racking for their warehouse - a great, cost-effective option for businesses needing extra storage space. Get in touch for more information on the different styles of shop shelving and shopfitting equipment we offer, or to see what we have in stock in our used shelving department.

New Shop Shelving Exhibit at the 2012 Glee Garden Retail Show

Shelving4Shops exhibited a range of new shop shelving and shop fittings at this year's Glee Garden Retail Show this year and would like to thank everyone who visited us there. We were at the show between the 16th and 18th of September at NEC Birmingham, demonstrating several different shelving and display options to the garden trade industry.

The Glee Garden Show is a great event for anyone in the gardening industry, with an enormous range of products and services being exhibited, from plants to landscape design, garden leisure to pets! We exhibited some of our most popular shelving options for use in garden centres to display plants, garden care products, tools, gifts, toys, cards, decorations, clothing... As experts in shopfitting, we can accommodate a variety of display and shelving different needs, including:

• low and high gondolas
• low and high end bays
• magazine units
• corner shelving
• peg board shelving, gondolas and bays
• dump bins and shop equipment
• refrigeration
• shelving accessories

Get in touch to discuss your shelving or shopfitting requirements, and a member of our experienced team will be able to help you decide the best options for your business.

Shop shelving and a refit for the Milton Keynes Londis store

At Shelving4Shops, we're always happy to provide shop shelving, advice and expertise to help local businesses expand and refurbish. We've recently been working with Mr Kaushalya in Milton Keynes, who is in the process of turning an old Londis shop into a Premier store. We've been involved with this major refit from start to finish, including helping Mr Kaushalya with his shop plans, supplying him with new shelving and showing him how to assemble it all after we delivered it to the store.

Our shop shelving and shop fitting options are suitable for small local shops like the Milton Keynes Londis, as well as larger department stores and warehouses. Gondola shelving works well in aisles, while pegboard shelving allows a variety of shelving configurations mounted on a wall. We also supply refrigeration units which are ideal for storing fresh and frozen goods so they are easily accessible to customers and staff.

We're looking forward to seeing how the new Premier Londis store turns out, and wish Mr Kaushalya good luck in his refit!