Ep.21 The Enduring Appeal of Hickies: A 160 Year Legacy
With Lara Mackim
Guest Name: Lara Mackim
Episode Description:
In this episode, Lara Mackim, a key figure at Hickies, a historic music store in Reading, delves into the rich history of the store, tracing its roots back to 1864. Lara shares personal anecdotes about her family’s connection to Hickies and her own journey from a young Saturday girl to a key role in the business.
The episode explores the challenges and triumphs of running an independent music store in the digital age. Lara discusses the importance of adapting to changing trends while preserving the store’s traditional values. She also highlights the significance of community engagement and supporting local musicians.
Hickies’ 2024 award win for the Pride of Reading Business in Action under 50 Employees is a testament to their commitment to excellence and their positive impact on the local community.
Hickies website: https://www.hickies.co.uk/
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Listen to the episode
Episode Time Codes
00:25 Intro
00:58 About Lara and her role at Hickies
02:28 What Lara likes about Reading
03:11 Lara’s special connection with Hickies
04:22 What did Lara learn being as MD at Hickies
05:36 Hickies’ marketing strategy
06:27 Lara’s memorable events at Hickies
07:58 Range of products and services Hickies offers
09:07 What’s the hardest thing about running a music business?
11:12 How Hickies’ are celebrating their 160th birthday
12:28 Hickies’ plans going forwards
13:21 Can people go to Hickies for anything to do with music?
14:10 Advice for other independent business
15:15 Key takeaway
Videos
Key takeaways
Adapting to the Times: Lara explains how they have adapted their business model to cater to modern music enthusiasts
while preserving their core values.
Find your unique angle: Lara mentions the importance of a customer-centric and flexible approach, in order to
push back against online competition.
Episode references
One of Lara’s highlight events:
Post Malone bought x2 Fenar CD60 guitars from Hickies