A "jaded" greengrocers needed the help from self-proclaimed "Queen of Shops" Mary Portas to help turn things around.
Sisters Debbie, Anne and Jennifer had been running their fruit and veg shop Fosters, on Market Street in Hoylake, for a year before they realised they desperately needed help from the retail consultant and broadcaster.
The 115-year-old shop cost £20,000, as well as Debbie's lifesavings to buy. However, sales were plummeting and the sisters were struggling to make a profit.
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It was back in 2009 that they decided to take the plunge and ask for Mary Portas' help. The episode of the BBC Two show aired in June 2010 and followed the ups and downs of the process.
At the beginning of the show, viewers were introduced to the sisters and are asked about life in the shop. Turning to the camera, Anne said: "The most difficult thing about owning a shop? Not making enough money."
However, sister Debbie appeared to be more philosophical. She said: "We've taken a gamble, but if you don't take a gamble sometimes life just passes you by doesn't it and you will never know."
The shop appeared to be dated, with empty fruit and veg boxes, dusty windows and a gloomy façade. Upon arriving, Mary said it was "bog-standard" and the camera shows her picking up a rotting piece of fruit.
At one point, Mary picks up a dehydrated courgette and said it "looks like an illness". She added: "A great greengrocer is about freshness and plenty, someone needs to tell Fosters."
Viewers soon found out the sisters had no retail experience prior to buying the shop, which left Mary very unimpressed. Tensions soon rose between the retail consultant and the sisters, with Debbie accusing Mary of giving them a "tongue-lashing".
The show then cuts to the sisters finding out what customers thought about the shop, with many admitting they wouldn't buy from there. Some reasons included the store looking tired, being too far away and having empty containers.
One resident was especially honest, she said: "I have to say, I went in yesterday and it looked very jaded, a lot of the containers were empty. The ones that did have things had one or two things in.
"I wouldn't have bought any of the things there looked like they were past their sell by date."
In the programme, Mary showed Debbie, Anne and Jennifer the ropes. This included making deals with fruit and vegetable producers, the best time to shop at the markets and they also did some work experience at luxury store Harrods.
She also came up with the idea of vegetable boxes. This was where the sisters delivered cut-price crates of fresh veg to their neighbours homes for £8 a box. It cost them only £4 to put together.
The shop also underwent a transformation, with duck-egg-blue walls and new floorboards. Garlands of garlic hung from the new rustic fittings.
All types of fresh fruit and veg were in store and the shop was also renamed from Fosters to 3 Sisters. On opening day, the shop filled with customers who said it had a "better ambiance" and was more inviting.
Previously the shop made £1,000 profit, but a month later it was pulling in £1,700 with an extra £400 from the delivery boxes.
Sadly, 3 Sisters does not exist in Hoylake anymore and closed around 2018. It has since been replaced by a hairdressers.
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