How important is shoe fitting to your business? Are you or any of your staff members of the Society Of Shoe Fitters? The fit of shoes is extremely important to our customers. Many have issues with shoe fit and we try to stock ranges which will meet a range of requirements. We have a relationship with a local podiatrist and she has held training and information sessions for our staff.
Does your shop sell other items besides footwear, bags, gloves, tights, socks, below the ankle products? Kitty Brown Boutique has sold bags, gloves, tights, stockings and socks from our beginning. We have just signed to start selling Pretty Polly stockings and tights. In terms of bags we have Healthy Back Bag, Roka, Red Cuckoo, Envy, plus Hi di Hi from Holland. We sell the Cherry Blossom range of footwear care products which are
very popular.
Do you use an EPOS (retail technology) system in your shop? Currently we do not use an EPOS system. However, this is an investment we intend to make in the new year, the aim being to improve stock control and sales information.
Any tips on stock offers, novel ideas for clearing lines or advice for independent shoe retailers who might be feeling the pinch? One of our ways of drawing particular lines to the attention of customers is to have special evening events. Sometimes they are for a particular group such as a Women’s Institute. Sometimes they are by invitation to people who have consented to be on our mailing. Other things we do is have a podiatrist at the event so they can discuss any footwear fitting problems with them.
What is your favourite men’s footwear brand/manufacturer – ditto ladies/children’s brand – and why? As we do not sell men’s or children’s shoes we can move straight to ladies footwear. Rieker is a great favourite of ours. The shoes are well made and come in styles that really appeal to our customers. The fit suits a lot of people who have feet that have changed as the years have passed. We must mention Ruby Shoo. They are just wonderful designs and so
bright that they lift your spirits just to look at them. We have found that even the highest heels from this brand are surprising for their comfort. They are vegan which is important to an increasing number of customers. Next summer we are to become stockists for Birkenstock and we are very excited about this.
How do you select your products – which criteria do you use / what are your customers looking for? Being new to footwear we have spent a lot of time at trade shows, looking at and considering different ranges. We have also made sure we talk to our customers. If they cannot find what they are looking for, why not? How can we improve? We also note when customers are delighted with what we have to offer.
Which footwear/fashion shows do you attend, how do you rate them? We attend a number of shows, Harrogate Fashion Week, Moda, Pure, Spring Fair and others. These are valuable to us in enabling us to select and compare in one place.
Do you have a favourite footwear agent you can tell us about? We have recently come into contact with Gus Marshall of Crosby Shoe Agencies again. We knew him from many years ago when we started to stock Healthy Back Bags. We now order Heavenly Feet and Earth Spirit from him. Because he has worked in the family business of shoe shops, we found him to be really helpful, and gave us a lot of useful advice. We also found David Smith from Birkenstock to be incredibly easy to work with and he gave us a lot of guidance on our first order.
Have you always had a passion for footwear? How many pairs of shoes do you own? Do you have a favourite pair? I love shoes, but have always been far more interested in having comfortable feet.
I have had a couple of bouts of Plantar Fasciitis so know how painful
your feet can be and how important it is to look after them. Now, I am in a position where I can choose comfortable yet stylish shoes for myself and our customers.
Any famous customers? We don’t have any famous customers, but we do know that some of our customers are related or friends with well-known people. The aunt of a comedian, the sister of a renowned entrepreneur, the friend of a top 10 recording artist, so we sometimes get the star gossip!
And, the next step? Any plans for the future, new lines, retail systems/new technology, etc.? We are planning to increase our presence on the internet and to increase the products we have available on-line. We want prospective customers to at least be able to browse our stock before visiting and later implement click and collect.
Kitty Brown Boutique, T: 01524 733243 E:
kitty@kittybrown.co.uk W:
kittybrown.co.uk
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