2. Where are your premises located and how many people do you employ? Do you have a high turnover of staff? Tell us about your shop(s), the local area, your customers and their requirements? The shop is situated on a main road separating the two beaches in Llandudno, the same site as first occupied by the founder, my grandfather David Roberts back in May 1922 after he had retired from Harrods of Knightsbridge, London. Along with me there are four full time and two part time staff with my wife Hilary running the back office, we have a group of very loyal staff the longest serving being 23 years. We have a very broad area from which our customers come, because of the many years that we have traded we have customers whose family has been served by my forefathers. We have always set ourselves a very high standard of personal service and selection. So, as brands may come and go, we are still able to provide an unrivalled selection because we are David Roberts, therefore putting our name ahead of any one brand. Llandudno is a beautiful Welsh resort with the largest array of bed space amongst all the other Welsh resorts. Its Victorian pier is the envy of many along with its unspoilt promenade and tastefully decorated hotels making Llandudno truly stand out.
3. Do you have an online shop/website and do you use social networking for business? As we have moved into the 21st. Century, trading has changed its profile and we have had a website for the past 12 years, along with a Facebook page. We have resisted the challenge of an E Commerce site preferring to use our website to guide customer flow to our shop. In these challenging retail times it is important that we give customers a reason to visit our shop, gone are the days when you open your door and expect customers to come flooding in. We use our large customer database sending out a twice yearly newsletter which is painstakingly put together by myself. I am very proud of our database and would not wish to bombard my customers with a torrent of mailings.
4. How are you finding the footwear market currently? The present trading conditions are the toughest that I have faced over the past 45 years. It is liken to running through thick mud, a lot of effort exerted for little progress. The public are very nervous of the future and they have developed the “Short hands and long pockets” theory.
5. Any advice for independent shoe retailers who might be feeling the pinch? Customers need to be encouraged to shop so there is a constant need to vary your window and internal displays, also ensure that customers are acknowledged within your shop and made to feel welcome and relaxed; We always have a selection of oddments on display racks placed at the back of the shop, this is for tempting customers to view, but most importantly to move through your shop and see the other stock that is displayed. Everyone is encouraged to be more proactive in the shop.
6. Which are your best selling footwear brands – and why? It is impossible to say which is my favourite brand, as they are all important to me. Over the years we have built up strong relationship with many of our suppliers, the longest relationship is with the Florida group going back some 53 years.
7. Which footwear/fashion shows do you attend, how do you rate them? I, twice yearly, visit the GDS shoe fair in Düsseldorf, Germany as it gives me a chance to view the entire collections of many of my European suppliers. It also gives me a chance to view other ranges that can give David Roberts that unique styling not seen elsewhere.
8. How do you select your products – which criteria do you use / what are your customers looking for? After 45 years you build up a pattern in your mind as to what your customers will be looking for in new season’s ranges. But, I have always been aware that there is no such thing as “A perfect buy”; often items can sell in
very strongly, but sell out slowly. We have, over the years, aimed our market at fashionable footwear, rather than strict fashion because, as we all know, fashion trends can come and go very quickly.
9. Do you have a favourite footwear agent? Over the many years we have encountered many footwear agents, some have become regular visitors to David Roberts to show their wares. But, several have become more than just agents who visit, but true friends. The two that come to mind are Peter Hogan-Hearn who is the owner of HB Shoes and Mike Thomas latterly of Barker Shoes who both have over 40 years of history with David Roberts.
10. Have you always had a passion for footwear? How many pairs of shoes do you own? Do you have a favourite pair? I have a great interest in shoes having spent all my working life within this marvellous trade. Personally do not have a large collection of shoes being aware that good shoes will always repair. My favourite pair is a pair of Mephisto walking shoes that are put to use every morning whilst I walk our elderly Labrador dog on the beach in Llandudno at
6.am every weekday. Over the years I have researched the origins of footwear and its development over the ages. Also I have studied the anatomy of the foot in relation to the body which helps to understand people's feet in relation to their shoes. For many years I travelled around North Wales and the Northwest giving lectures about “The History of Shoes and David Roberts” allowing me to also show styles from the last 10 decades which form part of an extensive collection. These talks have resulted in donations to charities of my choice. For our 75th, 80th and 85th anniversaries we held events to raise monies for “Ty Gobaith”, a children's hospice based in the Conwy Valley, resulting in over £10,000 being raised.
11. Any famous customers? We have served many famous people too numerous to mention, many from the theatrical world who spent their Summer Seasons at the Llandudno Theatres. Only recently the cast of “Calender Girls” graced our shop!
12. And, the next step? Any plans for the future, new lines, retail systems/new technology, etc.? As we move into our 91st year decisions will have to be made by my wife Hilary, who very ably runs our “Back Office”, and myself, over the future of the business as we have no heir apparent and as I have often said “Nothing lasts forever”.
David Roberts (Llandudno) Limited Tel: 0800-9170450
www.davidrobertsshoes.com
MAY 2012 • FOOTWEAR TODAY
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