All Ryman articles
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AnalysisPM for a day: What M&S, Co-op and AO’s leaders would do in the top job
As Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss challenge each other for leadership of the Conservative Party and the country, all eyes are on them for solutions to pressing problems such as the cost-of-living crisis.
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Interview
How Theo Paphitis went from sales assistant to tycoon, TV star and campaigner
As Theo Paphitis wins the AlixPartners Outstanding Contribution to Retail Award, the boss of Ryman, Boux Avenue and Robert Dyas reflects on his lifelong passion for retail
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News
Tycoon Paphitis urges rates reform as strong Christmas follows annual loss
Theo Paphitis has called on the government to “grasp the business rates nettle” as he gave an update on Christmas trading and Ryman posted its first annual loss in more than two decades of his ownership.
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News
Theo Paphitis’ Ryman appoints new boss to ramp up digital prowess
Stationery and office supplies retailer Ryman has hired former Staples executive Peter Birks as its new chief executive.
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Prospect Analysis
Ryman (SWOT)
Ryman is owned by the Theo Paphitis Retail Group, which has raised Ryman’s profile, provided cross-brand opportunities, and provided it with a highly experienced management team led the group’s namesake as chairman, and group chief executive Kypros Kyprianou.
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Prospect Analysis
Ryman (Strategy)
Ryman is the only significant high-street stationery specialist as its main competitor, Office Outlet, is based in out-of-town locations.
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Prospect Analysis
Stores at Ryman
The Ryman store network has been placed under review in response to the changed conditions in the wake of the pandemic, although management has stressed that this could include the opening of new stores where appropriate.
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Prospect Analysis
Technology strategy at Ryman
Ryman has spent the past couple of years improving its store technology, as well as its stock and merchandising systems. The wider group is investing in infrastructure and development of cross-brand multichannel propositions.
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Prospect Analysis
Ryman (People)
Peter Birks was appointed CEO in 2021, charged with turning the business around in the changed environment following the pandemic.
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Prospect Analysis
Ryman (Overview)
Ryman is a stationery retailer that has been owned by retail entrepreneur and former Dragons’ Den star Theo Paphitis since 1995. It is one of four retail businesses owned by Paphitis, which all share some ecommerce and IT resources.
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Prospect Analysis
Ryman (Financials)
Ryman was the worst affected of the Theo Paphitis Retail Group of companies during the pandemic given its focus on small businesses and its city centre and university locations. Total sales slumped 40.9% to £73.0m in the FY2020, despite a 111% surge in online sales, while the retailer plunged into the red for the first time under Theo Paphitis’ ownership.
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Prospect Analysis
Ecommerce at Ryman
Management at Ryman says the recent health crisis has acted as a “catalyst for change”. The temporary closure of its stores in lockdown periods over 2020 and 2021 has resulted in an increased focus on ecommerce, with “significant growth through this channel”.
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Prospect Analysis
Customer and marketing at Ryman
Ryman targets both businesses and consumers and its main challenge is designing a proposition that caters for both these types of customer. Its strategy therefore needs to consider that businesses will generally order in bulk, while consumers are more price-sensitive.
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Prospect Analysis
Supply chain at Ryman
Ryman operates a “state of the art” distribution centre and head office in Crewe. Capacity was added for Ryman following the opening of a new distribution centre for sister brand Robert Dyas.
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Prospect Analysis
Ryman (Outlook)
Despite the “significant impact” of the pandemic on the Ryman store estate, the crisis has also acted as a catalyst for change, contributing to “the significant shift from stores to online sales”.
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News
Paphitis warns it’s ‘goodnight Vienna for physical retail’ without rates reform
Retail tycoon Theo Paphitis has urged chancellor Rishi Sunak to reform business rates or risk the “destruction” of bricks-and-mortar retail.
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Video
Retail Question Time with Theo Paphitis and Richard Walker
In the first edition of our new video series Retail Question Time, Ryman, Robert Dyas and Boux Avenue owner Theo Paphitis and Iceland managing director Richard Walker discuss government aid for the industry during the pandemic, business rates reform, their hopes for next week’s Budget – and why they both oppose high-speed rail link HS2.
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Video
Face time: Theo Paphitis says retail ‘will never be the same’ after coronavirus
Retail entrepreneur Theo Paphitis discusses the impact of the pandemic on retail property and trading, and says none of his stable of brands will trade in the same way that they did before the pandemic.
