When you buy from Blooms we strive to make your shopping experience a
wonderful one. Whether you're looking for a new suit, denim jeans, or a new pair of shoes, Blooms Menswear has you covered. We have everything for the gentleman's wardrobe.
Do you have an online shop/website and do you use social networking for business? Yes, indeed we do have a website that you can take a look at by visiting
http://bloomsmenswear.com We are relative new-comers to the world of social media, but we’ve
recently started to use Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to connect with our customers and keep everyone up to date with new products and brands that arrive at the store.
How are you finding the footwear market currently? The current footwear market is challenging, but positive. The correct product selection, backed up with strong product knowledge and excellent customer service, hasn’t let us down yet.
What’s selling well? Any particular trends? Which are your best selling footwear brands – and why? Brogues are still very strong, especially in tan leather. This summer, loafers were great sellers both with suits, and worn casually with jeans and chinos. Barker and Loake Shoemakers are probably our top brands, both in terms
of quality and sales. We’ve also noticed an upturn in the sale of Chelsea boots this season from brands like Roamers and Loake. They’re a great choice for both formal and casual situations, giving you a wealth of options for wearing with a suit, jeans, or chinos. From discussions with our customers it seems that the versatility of a Chelsea boot is a strong selling point. Chatham Marine Boots have also been a strong seller for us, as Summer
turns to Autumn we are hoping that the trend continues. TredFlex shoes have been steadily growing for us too, developing a strong
customer base as people begin to realise that choosing comfortable footwear doesn’t mean that they need to compromise on style. We’ve seen some very smart designs for a number of years now and look forward to seeing what new styles and innovations they have in store for the coming seasons. These days, customers are demanding more from their footwear,
expecting great looks and stylish design, as well as durability and comfort. Fit, product selection, design, and quality are all important factors on why we’ve enjoyed such wonderful success with these brands.
How important is shoe fitting to your business? Fitting is a cornerstone of the high standard of service we strive to deliver. Our selection spans from E fit to GX in sizes 6 – 14.
Do you use an EPOS (retail technology) system in your shop? No, we don’t have an EPOS system currently. We’re quite old school when it comes to the running of the shop and one to one customer service.
Any difficulties/problems? There are always challenges within any business, but thankfully nothing that we’ve yet to overcome.
Any tips on stock offers, novel ideas for clearing lines or advice for independent shoe retailers who might be feeling the pinch? If a line is sticking, you can try reducing the price to move the product on, and then reinvest in new lines that you think should sell better, based on customer feedback and experience.
What is your favourite men’s footwear brandand why? I would have to say Barker, Loake, and TredFlex shoes as they offer excellent quality products that our customers love.
How do you select your products – which criteria do you use / what are your customers looking for? With such a diverse client base, selection all depends on customer feedback and our experiences in-store each season. It all comes down to having a
durable, high quality product that is aesthetically pleasing, whilst offering good value for money for the customer. Everyone has different tastes, so you must have a decent range of styles to choose from. Paying close attention to what your customers are telling you from season to season gives you a good insight into what kind of style trends are in ascendance or decline. Experience is, of course, invaluable.
Which footwear/fashion shows do you attend, how do you rate them? We enjoy attending MODA, NEC, IAS, Jacket Required, and IMC each year and find them to be a very valuable part of the industry.
Do you have a favourite footwear agent you can tell us about? Mike Thomas from Barker, Tom Turton from Loake have been working closely with us for a good number of years and are always a pleasure to deal with. Lindsey Robertson at TredFlex has been inspirational, presenting us with new and innovative shoe designs each season. Mary Jas from Ikon footwear is an absolute delight, and nothing is too much trouble.
Have you always had a passion for footwear? How many pairs of shoes do you own? Do you have a favourite pair? Working within the Menswear industry for so long has most certainly instilled a passion for footwear. I currently have around 20 pairs of shoes but couldn’t choose just one pair as a favourite. I think it just depends on what the occasion is and what you feel comfortable and confident wearing.
Any famous customers? Over the years we’ve had quite a few including pop stars Jimmy Osmond, Roy Wood of Wizard, and Dave Hill of Slade. We’ve also had a few Wolverhampton Wanderers football players from time to time. We regularly see the very talented TV presenter, Jay Blades from the BBC’s Money For Nothing and The Repair Shop television programs. More recently we’ve had Britain’s Got Talent finalist – Donchez Dacres in the store too.
And, the next step? Any plans for the future, new lines, retail systems/new technology, etc.? Here at Blooms Menswear, we’re always looking to continuously improve the quality and selection of our product ranges and strive to go that extra mile for our customers.
Contact: Blooms Menswear T: 01902 424 143 E:
info@bloomsmenswear.com W:
http://bloomsmenswear.com
JANUARY 2019 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • 39
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