Retailer Dan Brown has acquired full ownership of Pinkie Farm Convenience Store in Musselburgh, East Lothian, buying out the Sands family’s share in the business, Lothian Stores Ltd. This acquisition places Pinkie Farm Spar entirely under Brown’s family ownership.

The award-winning Pinkie Farm store has attracted plaudits for a diverse range of food-and-drink-to-go offerings, including hot food counters, sweet and savoury bakery selections, coffee to go, hot dogs, and milkshake and slushy dispensers.

The former farm shop on the site was replaced with a purpose-built 4,500sq ft store by former wholesaler Colin Smith in 2014. Retailer David Sands bough Smith’s stake in the store in 2018. Dan Brown, a former Scottish Grocers Federation president, has led the store since 2018 as managing director and will continue operations with his partner, Nicole, who joined the business in 2022, a press release said.

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Outgoing stakeholder Lindsay Sands commented on the transition, “We are delighted to have agreed on such an amicable outcome and wish Dan and his family every success in the future.”

Commenting on the acquisition, Brown stated, “I am incredibly thankful to the Sands family for their support and mentorship over the years. This store has been close to my heart since I first became involved, and it’s a true privilege to lead it forward with my family. We’re excited about the next chapter for Pinkie Farm and look forward to deepening our ties with the Musselburgh community as we expand our offerings and further develop our services.”

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The store is this year celebrating its tenth anniversary, while its 2023 transition to the Spar Scotland fascia “has positioned the store to continue enhancing its offerings, meeting the evolving needs of Musselburgh residents and setting the stage for sustainable growth,” a press release said.

“Working closely with Spar Scotland allows us to bring a robust product range and competitive pricing to our customers while remaining agile and responsive to local needs. Together, we’re committed to setting new standards in convenience retail for the Musselburgh community, blending quality, affordability, and innovation in ways that truly benefit our customers,” Brown added.

The Sands family will now continue growing its David’s Kitchen estate, with plans to launch a new Spar convenience store and neighbourhood shopping centre in Bo’ness next year.

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