STRAP
Cheryl Taylor, Editor, talks to Hal Holmes-Pierce of elevate your sole, Prestatyn. My partner and I decided to go travelling around Africa and whilst sat on
Q&A:
Name: Hal Holmes-Pierce Shop: elevate your sole
Brands: Ruby Shoo, Skechers, Lotus, Chatham, Rieker, Loake, Anatomic, Dude, Padders, Galleria, Fiorelli,
Home town: Prestatyn
Family: A devoted girlfriend and a lovely Mum and Dad.
How did you get into footwear? Tell us about your background and your current business? This is a question I get asked a lot and the answer is a surprise to most. I had a successful career in the merchant navy, supporting the oil and gas industry. My most recent employment was working on the gas fields between Cyprus and Israel on the dive ship ‘EDT Ares’. As a senior navigation officer, my main role was to ensure that the ship remained a safe and stable platform for the divers working below.
22 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • FEBRUARY 2016
a pristine white beach of Zanzibar, I made the decision leave my career behind and start a business in my hometown of Prestatyn. My love of shoes and the growing prospects of my local town fuelled my decision to set up shop. elevate your sole was fashioned on 10th August 2013. A boutique shoe shop catering for men and women seeking quality, comfort and unique style.
Where are your premises located? Tell us about your shop, the local area, your customers and their requirements? Our shop is situated on our lovely Victorian high street, which is such an important asset to towns like ours. The beauty and individuality of the shops and their owners is the reason that our town is having a bit of a renaissance. Go Prestatyn! The customer base is hugely varied with plenty of summer visitors, but I
cater mainly to the people who live nearby. Although, I have customers that regularly travel over an hour to see me from Shropshire, West Wales and even as far as New Zealand!
Do you have an online shop/website and do you use social networking for business? My website
www.elevateyousole.co.uk is fully integrated with an e-commerce package and I have had some great progress with this in recent times. I’m also encouraged by my ‘in-store’ customers that like to use it as a catalogue and view it as an extended window to my ‘bricks and mortar’ shop. I make good use of Facebook and Twitter. My approach to this is typical to
my personal demeanour, which is relaxed and welcoming. I like to engage with my customers in a way that they feel most comfortable.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100