When clothes shop Hanon shuts its doors on Aberdeen’s historic Green for the final time last October, Thomas Lindie knew exactly what to do.
The 32-year-old had been working as a marketing manager at the independent business, best known for its house-branded streetwear, for nearly a decade.
But when the owners decided to call it quits after 30 years of trading, Thomas didn’t take this as a setback – but rather an opportunity to embark on a new venture.
And before he realised it, he was reaching for his phone to message friend and fellow Hanon alumnus David Taylor with an unexpected proposition.
“He just messaged me one day ‘Hey, do you want to open up a store?’, David chuckles as he recalls how the idea for their Out and Back shop first came about.
“It’s something we are really passionate about and we had been talking about maybe setting up our own clothing business one day…
“I’ve always wanted to do that, but I guess I just needed a little push – and then Thomas convinced me this was the time to take the jump.”
Empty unit on The Green brough back to life with Out and Back shop
The duo didn’t make too big of a jump from their former place of work, however.
Despite some being put off by major works there, they knew this new venture simply had to be on The Green.
For the last few months, they have been doing up the vacant unit two doors down, which housed reselling firm Overhype before it closed around the same time as Hanon.
Now all spruced up – with the smell of fresh paint still filling your nostrils as you cross the doorstep – it has been converted into The Green’s newest outdoor clothing store.
David and Thomas can barely contain their enthusiasm as they go over a long list of premium brands on offer – some of which can’t be found anywhere else in Scotland.
Out and Back offers exclusive brands – now found only in Aberdeen
Holding bright green VJ Sport trainers – which I’m told are among his favourites for running up the hills – David explains what sets Out and Back apart from sportswear chains.
“There are loads of brands that we are really invested in but are not available in Aberdeen or in Scotland – and we thought we can change that.
“We really like the outdoors – whether that is running, hiking or cycling – but I think what makes this store special is our genuine passion and care for product.
“This is at the core of what we want to do here – give our customers something that they haven’t got a chance to see or experience anywhere else.”
And they want Out and Back to be a lot more than just a shop, Thomas adds.
He glances across the store and says: “We are building something that people would want to come to – a destination with a wealth of really good and hard-to-find product.
“And we don’t want it to be just a retail space, but to serve a community and become a focal point where people can just come in and chat with like-minded folk or hang out.”
‘The Green was the only place we wanted to be’
Thomas admits that opening a store in the current climate is a “bold” move, but they are confident they have the right skill sets and the determination to make it work.
And they didn’t hesitate even for a second when they picked The Green as the perfect location for their business.
“We didn’t look anywhere else – it was the only place we wanted to be,” he smiles.
“It’s a fantastic area of Aberdeen that sometimes gets forgotten, but there is always a great buzz with all the long-established independent businesses that are here.
“And it’s a proper thoroughfare between the city centre and Union Square for shoppers.
“Now we want to try and put our own stamp here and hopefully recreate what we were drawn to The Green for.”
But are they worried about major construction works at the market?
Out and Back is located right across from the new £40 million food and drink market, which is expected to completed in 2027.
Traders have been complaining for months about the negative impact of the ongoing construction works, as black hoarding was erected and Hadden Street was closed off.
Council chiefs have since been working with business owners to find a compromise, installing additional CCTV along the darker routes on The Green.
However, Thomas and David believe the new development will bring better fortunes to the area, which is bound to become “even more vibrant” in the next few years.
Thomas adds: “We appreciate there is lots of construction going on outside, but we are pretty confident that the market will be a good thing when it’s completed.
“There are a lot of good things going on, we just need to focus a bit more on that rather than on the doom and gloom.
“It’s tough but we are excited about what the future holds for The Green. We just need to play the long game and I’m sure it will pay off in the end.”
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