Cheryl Taylor, Editor, talks to Jo Hemsley of Billy Goat, Alresford, winner of National Shop Front Award 2016 Q&A:
Name: Jo Hemsley Shop: Billy Goat
Brands: GEOX, Start-rite, Ricosta, Bobux, Skechers, Plae, Petasil, Pediped, Vans, Converse, SaltWater, Hunter
Home town: Alresford
Family: Husband, Andy and two lovely children Lottie & Toby
How did you get into footwear? Tell us about your background and your current business? Where and when you started, etc. People are often surprised to hear what I did before entering the footwear industry. I spent 20 years in marketing for multi-national companies and then decided I wanted a change and to do something very different. I began the planning process quite a few years before we opened and then following a period of research and studying with the Society of Shoe Fitters – Billy Goat was open for business on 1st August 2015.
28 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • MAY 2016
Where are your premises located? Tell us about your shop, the local area, your customers and their requirements? We are in Alresford, which is a Georgian market town in Hampshire. It is a beautiful town with colour-washed houses, riverside walks and lots of lovely independent shops. There is a large population of school children in Alresford and the surrounding villages with 7 schools literally on our doorstep. We are lucky to have very loyal customers, which is testament to the support that local people give to independent businesses in our town. The majority of our customers are local, however we also have quite a few
customers who visit friends and family in Alresford and travel from London, the Scottish Highlands and even Seattle in America!
How many people do you employ? Do you have a high turnover of staff? We currently employ three members of staff on a part-time basis, who help out during the busier times; school holidays, podiatry days and back to school.
Do you have an online shop/website and do you use social networking for business? We don’t have an online shop, as we strongly believe that as a children’s shoe shop, the importance of measuring and fitting shoes is paramount. We do use Facebook and Twitter and find that many of our busy mums like to be updated on new arrivals and special events via our Facebook posts.
How are you finding the footwear market currently? As we are still in our first year, we are learning all the time, but we have definitely seen a steady increase in our business since we opened in August.
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