A £40m-turnover, Oldham-based nursery e-commerce business has announced the next step in its evolution by rebranding to The Nursery Store.
Launched as Online4Baby by sisters Christy Foster and Cheryl Blayds in 1987, the company got off to an inauspicious start. The two Manchester-born-and-bred women had significant personal challenges to overcome, including Christy’s neurodiversity and a difficult home environment. Rather than let these challenges hold them back, the sisters used them to propel themselves forward.
The business had its self-funded beginnings on a market stall in Salford, before moving online to eBay, where Christy and Cheryl became the first UK-based female eBay millionaires.
Today, the business creates and contributes considerably to the Greater Manchester economy. The workforce is 40+ strong, revenue in the first half of 2024 was up 25% compared to last year, and the company has an annual income of £40 million.
It’s still family-owned, with Christy, Cheryl, and their husbands, Darren and Warren actively running the day-to-day and managing an unrivalled range of nursery products from market-leading brands like Puggle, iCandy, Mamas and Papas, Tommee Tippee, Ickle Bubba and Joie.
Already one of the largest independent nursery retailers in the UK, changing to The Nursery Store repositions the business in the market, building a brand with enough breadth to speak to customers at all price points without losing an existing reputation for outstanding pricing.
The company brought Stockport branding agency Create8 on board to assist with the process of modernising the proposition, while still retaining the heritage, trust and credibility they’d built up over the course of nearly four decades. The team admits it was a challenge, but The Nursery Store plans to continue the legacy of Online4Baby, expand upon it, and help generations of new families to start their story.
Chief marketing officer Toby Gavin said: “The rebrand is really about how we better convey our heritage and expertise to customers, to build long term trust and credibility in the market. We’ve seen strong growth this year, and we’re excited to drive the business further and faster with this rebrand. This transformation is a strategic leap forward, and we’re really excited about the opportunities it unlocks.”
Chief executive officer Christy Foster added: “The rebranding to The Nursery Store will allow us to continue providing families with accessible pricing on a wide range of high-quality products that make their lives safer, more enjoyable, and stress-free. This modernisation will provide an easier-than-ever shopping experience for them, and provide a solid foundation for us, our partners, both existing and new, to grow and thrive from.”
