Footwear-OCT20-P30-32 Retailer Of The Month_Footwear_Jan10_p30 19/11/2020 19:44 Page 31


We have been overwhelmed by the loyalty and support we have had


from our current customers and all the positive reviews we have received. Little ones have been sadly so impacted mentally by this awful virus, so we are making sure we spend even more time in helping them to feel safe and relaxed when they come to have their shoes fitted. Financially, clearly it impacted us but again we have been supported by our amazing suppliers who have worked with us to make it possible to continue trading, clearly not ideal for our first year in business! We are very much looking forward to being open for our first spring summer season in 2021! Back to School has exceeded all our expectations in terms of how busy


we have been, our local advertising forum and our local schools have continued to recommend us, and we have definitely been busy. After a vigorous risk assessment from the start of August we decided that we were lucky enough to have space to be able to open for walk ins, one family at a time alongside appointments already made. A one-way system is in place, we have anti bac stations throughout the shop and have screens and markers in place to enable us to continue to fit safely. It has been challenging and worrying, but Sarah and I are both resilient and are positive in our outlook and are looking forward to the years ahead.


Colourful Soles is a Children’s footwear shop, inside we are a team who are trained to measure feet and fit shoes correctly. We want shoe shopping for children (and those with them) to be an enjoyable experience and for them to go away with a pair of shoes that fits their individual and unique feet and personality. We have a lovely, airy, colourful and calming store so the experience doesn’t feel pressured and families can relax and have time to make the right choice. In total there are 5 of us trained to measure and fit, through The


Society of Shoe Fitters and Start-rite and we were so keen to keep it to a family business. The 5 of us are me, my mum and aunt. Sarah and her daughter. Dependent on how busy we are will determine how many of us are in. Lutterworth has some lovely shops, cafes and restaurants to discover and the owners of all the businesses’ have been so welcoming and helpful. We have a forum where we can share ideas, plan events and support each other. The Shopper Forum in Lutterworth really welcome and encourage family shopping, which is great for us, an example is the Elf Trail that happens every Christmas. The local shops and eateries name and hide an elf for the children to come and find over a weekend on the lead up to Christmas and the local sweet shop provide them with a gift at the end. It really is a brilliant event and the children loved it.


How has Covid-19 impacted your business? Tell us about your experiences, the difficulties you have encountered and how you have managed/are managing/trying to overcome these? Covid-19 has impacted us in many ways, I have always believed, “Those with the most flexibility will have the most influence” so we put that into practice at Colourful Soles. During the peak of the crisis we remained completely closed and Sarah did a fantastic job keeping our customers morale up through social media posts. We set up a facebook shop so customers could see our products, but


what we didn’t want to compromise on them potentially ordering incorrect sizes. What we did, when we were able to do so safely, was set up a remote measuring service, using the fabulous Start-rite on-line measuring tool. After the remote measure we then advised, as best we could, from a social distance, fittings through our ‘Door-step’ fitting service. Our customers were so grateful, and we were so pleased we could help to ensure little feet stay as healthy as possible. Since re opening, which we did so initially on an appointment only


basis, we have found that new customers have travelled to visit us as they trust that we have a safe and spacious environment.


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What’s selling well? Any particular trends? Which are your best-selling children’s footwear brands – and why? We are so happy with all of the brands we stock, and all the suppliers have been so helpful with hints, tips and educating us on their footwear. We haven’t struggled getting the best fit for any of our customers so far and we have had really positive reviews on performance and comfort. All our brands perform well, they all offer something slightly different and so provide fit and style choice for us and all our customers. We don’t really see any trends in terms of style or fashion as we


recommend and sell based on fit and comfort. What we do see is quite a bit of loyalty to a brand once a customer has purchased them. This winter, we believe because it’s been such a wet one, anything with waterproof technology has performed well for us.


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