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STRAP


Cheryl Taylor talks to Pauline Cassidy of Goody2Shoes, Kilwinning and Largs. Winner of the Footwear Industry Awards: Family Retailer of the year 2014. Also, Highly Commended in Leader in Customer Service 2014.


How did you get into footwear? Tell us about your background and your current business? I was looking for a change of direction having worked as an accountant and in the licensed trade, which involved very long hours. I wanted a more interactive job, so that I could also have a family life. My husband Brian and I felt we could make a difference to the shoe shopping experience, which was always stressful for our children and bring a positive experience to not just children, but parents. We try to involve both parents and children in learning about children’s feet and their growing stages by offering advice and contact via social media at all times. We demonstrate how different styles, brands and fit are all different, and a gauge is only a guide.


Where are your premises located and how many people do you employ? Do you have a high turnover of staff? Tell us about your shops, the local area, your customers and their requirements? We started in April 2010 small shop Kilwinning, and in April 2011 opened


second branch in Gourock along the coast. In April 2012 we relocated in Kilwinning, just a couple of doors along into a much bigger shop. In September 2013 we relocated our Gourock branch to the seaside town of Largs. Both branches are linked via train stations only short walk and benefit from good parking. Kilwinning has had a major facelift under regeneration project and has a College, a High School, seven primary schools and five nursery schools. Largs is a thriving seaside town with a large promenade and many


tourists. It is well known for the Nardini ice cream parlour and there are lots of independent shops. There are not many Scottish people who have not at some time in their lives visited Largs!


34 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • JUNE/JULY 2014 We have nine team members who have been the backbone of our


business since we first started. We are proud to say that no member of our team has ever left, we have just added to the team as the business has grown. Margaret, has been with us since day one and within a month Sharon started part time. At weekends our daughter Laura and daughter in law Lisa helped out. When the Gourock shop opened we employed two more staff, at that point we had built up such a good customer base that we had to move to bigger premises and employed another two staff. When we opened the shop in Largs, Kirsty joined the team. All the girls work between both shops and customers have become friends. Our customers are diverse and demanding they keep us on our toes, they


are getting more knowledgeable and we are growing by listening to needs and expectations. We work with a few podiatrists who offer help and advice and we are proud they use our shops for their children’s shoe needs and recommend us to their customers.


Do you have an online shop/website and do you use social networking for business? We use Facebook and have 7000 followers. It allows us to inform our


customers of new stock arrivals, events, special offers and end of line deals. We prefer the fitting personal service in store to web page sales.


How are you finding the footwear market currently? We find that our customers prefer quality fashionable fitted brands.


Our customers have told us on numerous occasions that that it was a false economy to buy budget non-leather shoes and, in the long term, a costly lesson.


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