Shop-in-shop is a very common concept abroad whereas it is fairly new to the Nepali population. Timro concept store is a market that works around the idea, and has opened the floor for many individual and small enterprises to sell their products. Before having a space of their own, the store used to sell its products through online platforms.
Timro store started out with seven brands since last year in April. The Jhamsikhel-based store now has over 40 brands made in Nepal by small-scaled and individual entrepreneurs. Alongside different bags, clothing items, stationeries and jewelries by other entrepreneurs, they also flaunt their own products like ceramics and food items at the store. The space has been color-coded and categorized in different sections so that the products complement each other and yet do not clash with each other’s' ideas. One can easily walk around the store and skim through the shelves to their liking. Some of these brands rent the space on a term-basis (monthly, half-yearly or yearly) and renting the space on a commission basis is also practiced.
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The brands at the store are all either hand-made or made in Nepal by Nepali and foreign entrepreneurs working to promote Nepali products. While there are many others in the market that are doing exceptional job for the same, Timro has a selected list of entrepreneurs who have their own unique style, that complements the store and also does not clash with other products showcased at the store. "We talk to them, discuss about their ideas, their way of work and check their product quality. Each one of the products were picked for their brand value and based on mutual understanding," shared Dipendra Lakhe, one of the owners of Timro.
Dipendra runs the store with his college friend Yogen Tamrakar and Anouk Tamrakar. Dipendra had grownup doing small businesses, and had looked after his own stores before he went to England for studies. Anouk, on the other hand, had also seen the same concept in Holland, and also had experiences working with felt, ceramics and notebooks with her husband Yogen. Dipendra and Anouk both had grown used to the shop-in-shop concept during their stays abroad and three of them came to an agreement to open a store with similar idea in Nepal.
Dipendra looks after the store and its accounts, while Anouk helps in marketing, public relations and brand selection for the store. Yogen also helps in the store's operations, and has now taken over the responsibility of the bakery section for Timro.
Keeping some risk in consideration,the trio finally opened the store with minimal investment in the interiors; they decorated it with up-cycled furniture and kept the rusty floors as it was to give the store a more raw and natural look. The decoration also includes traditional pieces with a contemporary touch. They promoted the store through Facebook and Instagram from the second month and organized other publicity events while many came to know about them through word-of-mouth. Now the store has come under the radar of new and aspiring entrepreneurs who come searching for the store as a good market for their products. It has also been a platform for the brands to collaborate with each other and promote Nepal-made products.
Timro works around the core idea to promote products that are made in Nepal. "Nepali products are more liked and sought by the expat population. Few of the Nepali products from the store also get exported abroad and they are selling their products for half the price. Nepali people still find the products expensive, while the expats look at their quality and happily buy them," added Dipendra.
Though they plan to grow and expand brand products, but their prime motive now is to stabilize the store operations. In a month or two, Timro will also be working on expanding its bakery section. Soon the store is expected to have a food menu with pies, bagels, corn chips, coffee and other drinks.
