Sock Shop starts first

Sock Shop is being relaunched with a new logo, redesigned packaging and fresh focus on specialist hosiery and socks.

Fourteen months after entrepreneur Stephen Hinchliffe’s group Facia bought Sock Shop’s 87 outlets, its management has decided the chain needs an image lift.

Sock Shop marketing director Dominic Ebery claims the relaunch will start in the next two weeks. He says Sock Shop has lacked focus, ex-panding into areas that were outside its core business. “We want to put the fun back into Sock Shop,” he adds.

Underwear ranges will be reduced and jewellery and handbags dropped.

The new logo, designed by Sock Shop together with PR agency Ogilvy Adams & Rinehart, will be tested in a yet-to-be decided northern store. In the longer term, stores will receive a facelift and an advertising campaign could be on the cards, says Ebery.

The niche franchise retailer was taken over by Facia in August last year after going into administrative receivership in 1990.