Rickmansworth wine merchants F.L. Dickins to celebrate 70th anniversary

F.L. Dickins in Rickmansworth has been running for three generations.

The business opened in 1949 by Frank Dickins and remains to be one of the oldest businesses in the Rickmansworth high street today.

The business began as a grocery store and expanded into two other sites in Money Hill and Chesham.

The business staffed more than 100 employees and quickly became a community favourite. Frank Dickins' son, Roger, later took over the business.

In the early 1960s, Roger decided to close the other two shops to focus on the main grocer in Rickmansworth.

He then decided to phase the product selection to focus more on wines and spirits. Roger died in 1995 leaving behind his two daughters, Karen and Alison, to take over the business.

Karen Dickins is now business director of the wine merchants and has introduced products made from people in the community.

These include gin, cider, apple juice, pate, shampoos, conditioners, jams and marmalades.

Ms Dickins said: “We stock local gin, cider and beer and our wine we get throughout Germany and Italy.

F.L. Dickins will celebrate 70 years since it opened. Photo: F.L Dickins

“We don’t stock supermarket wines and we sell individuals things people would not get anywhere else.

“What makes us unique is the advice we give here to customers and that we’re knowledgeable about our range.”

Ms Dickins will be celebrating her family’s business with a free champagne tasting session on Saturday, October 5.

She said: “We get a lot of support from mainly local people but there are people who come from a long way just to see us.

“We see lots of new people and there is the older generation that remain visitors because they remember us as grocers.

“In the 1960s there were a growing number of supermarkets. My father instead decided to concentrate on wine and spirits in one spot – which made us stand out from other business.

“At the time supermarkets didn’t have licences and we had the whole monopoly of that. That helped the shift in business and was a good move and we still try to make ourselves more unique today.”

Although the next generation who will take over the business is uncertain Ms Dickins has said she is open to new ideas to help improve the business.

She added: “We are always open to ideas but for now we are carrying on the way we are and hope to make any improvements needed.

“I’m unsure about the next generation. I’m the only one with children although I have two daughters – one is a doctor and one works for charity Groundwork – they don’t seem interested.

“But you never know what the future might bring.”

When asked about how advice for aspiring business owners Ms Dickins said: “Just be good to your customers and listen to what they want and try to accommodate.”