Stornoway business Thompson Garden Machinery is a company with a solid grounding in experience, despite the youth of founder Mitch Thompson.
Mitch has built his new sales and servicing base on the foundation of his original company, Thompson Fencing and Groundcare, which already has a constant stream of work landscaping, fencing and maintaining grounds and gardens all over Lewis and Harris.
But Mitch himself admits that his new base on Inaclete Road is a far cry from his dad’s shed in Brue, where he started the business just seven years ago.
“I now have 400 square metres of inside display space, and the same area of yard, which gives me plenty of room to develop the sales and marquee hire side of the business,” says Mitch.
The space is well-used, since he’s the main dealer for Stiga lawnmowers, Mountfield lawnmowers, Stihl strimmers, hedge-cutters and chainsaws and a new line in lightweight, cordless tools from US-based company Ego Power.
He’s the sole supplier in the Western Isles for Ego Power, stocking a range of their professional battery-powered lawnmowers, strimmers and chainsaws.
With one charge, an Ego Power lawnmower can cut 800m2 of lawn, almost soundlessly, and the battery remains re-chargeable for up to 10 years, with a five-year warranty.
Mitch said: “Part of the attraction of this range for me is the light weight and ease of use. They are quiet in operation and need very little servicing, and customers who have bought them so far have been extremely happy with them.”
A huge advantage for local buyers is that the business is actually local, with a good range of stock available and a quick ordering system, which includes a new website at https://thompsongm.co.uk/
Mitch said: “When you take into account delivery charges from the mainland, most of my stock is actually cheaper than you can get it online and you can get many things immediately.
“I can get other models within a week and keep the catalogues for Stiga, Eco Power and Mountfield so you can see what you are choosing.
“Our main challenge now is getting the new shop on people’s mental map. It has two entrances, one on Inaclete Road and one on Bells Road, both with signs and open gates, but we know it can be a challenge around this industrial estate.”
Partly to address that, Mitch is planning a summer open day event for Saturday 13 May, with opportunities to see all the equipment in stock – and to win a brand-new lawnmower. More details about that are coming soon.
The company overall now keeps five employees busy, with two seasonal posts about to start the summer maintenance tasks and the office and showroom open from 7.30am to 5pm.
With plans for expanding the range of smaller items in the way of garden safety-wear, oils and lubricants for the machinery, the future for this garden professional looks set to be a landscape of growth.
Pictures show Mitch Thompson inside and outside his new garden machinery shop on Inaclete Road, and the entrance to the yard.
