Set your sights high, and the world’s your oyster is a philosophy John and Eric Herbert aim to follow to the letter.

With the knowledge that British Home Stores began life as a market stall, the two brothers have expanded their business, and with 15 years’ experience behind them, have opened a cut price chemist shop in Rushden High Street.

Mr. John Herbert explained: “We are taking a step up really from the market. My brother and I decided it was about time we considered the future and started to expand.

“Rushden hasn’t got a market, but what we aim to do is provide the same service and prices we would on a market, but in a shop.”

Herbies, as the shop is called, is run by Mr. Herbert senior.  Said John Herbert: “We asked father to come out of retirement to run the shop for us, until we see what the response will be.  It would have been useless employing lots of people unnecessarily.  If it is a success however, we will be looking for another site to start a chain of Herbies.”

He added: “We have a stall on Raunds market and so travel through Rushden on our way home to Bedford.  When we saw a shop vacant, we decided it was an opportunity not to be missed.”

About 1964 they toook over Duncans Chemists (Irthlingborough) Ltd in Rushden, owned by Don Summerfield. Don then sold the Rushden shop to the Herbert brothers of Bedford and they appointed John Whittington as their dispenser, and their father came out of retirement to run the shop. In 1976 they sold this shop to John Whittington.

In 1976 John and Eric Herbert decided to move to another shop selling their toiletries, make-up, cleaning products and over the counter chemist lines, in a shop opposite West Street, calling it "Herbies". When they expanded again they took a larger double fronted shop between Bugby's and Keech's bakery, selling a wide selection of homewares, and it was called "Herbies Too" as they kept both shops for a some time.