Attire Accessories - Jan/Feb 2020 (Issue 80)

RETAIL INTERVIEW 101 Can you tell me a bit about the company? We are a family business dating back to 1950. Starting in Zanzibar, back then known as Tanganyika, our grandfather handmade fine quality leather shoes for sultans of Africa. My father later moved to Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania, opening two bespoke footwear shops. In 2012 we opened a shop in England’s finest stone town, Stamford, on the main high street. We have recently relocated to larger premises on St. Mary’s Street, Stamford, to enable us to extend our services and products to customers across the UK. What is your aim as a shoe retailer? We now have an online presence and are increasing numbers overseas. Our aim is to provide a range of the highest quality and most desirable branded shoes to our customers. In 2010 when we had our first child, we had to make a decision whether we stayed on in Tanzania and move on with our lives, or we had the option to move to England. We thought, why not? And we gave it a shot – we could always move back to Tanzania if things did not work out. What have you learnt about being in business, and what makes you stand out? Our USP is our craftsmanship. We have not only learnt tricks and techniques from family members but continue to learn via self-teachings. The support of the local community makes Stamford great for our business. We already have our home mortgage with NatWest and when we approached the bank we met a great advisor – the constant help, support and guidance she has given us is second to none. Are there any standout brands you stock? Joseph Cheaney and R M Williams are some of many brands that we are doing very well with. We do not make shoes but do repair not only footwear but other leather goods and watches, as well as offering many other services. Do you use social media and does it work for you? We do use Instagram and Facebook. We are not massively techie but will soon be going to a social media course to get up to date on how to use these facilities. We are also looking at getting an apprentice to help with our online presence. How do you decide on the what you stock? Companies’ reps bring the stock for us to view. We discuss the bestsellers but Radhika decides what stock we order. We try to change the window displays twice a month to keep them interesting and eye catching. Now that we are situated on a main road with a lot of car traffic the windows get noticed a lot! Do you visit trade shows? We have not attended any trade shows but are looking at visiting some in the new year as we are now stocking other items alongside shoes. What have been some standout moments for the company? When we had our opening party we were overwhelmed with how many of our loyal customers attended. Many of them live a distance from Stamford and it showed us how much we and our work are appreciated. How do you envision the future of the footwear industry? At this present time we see the footwear industry doing well. We strongly believe in well-made shoes. High-end shoes are an investment and may sounds expensive when you buy but over a long period of time they pay for themselves and work out to be cheaper in the long run. The advice we would give to other retailers is study the product and understand it well so that when a customer walks in and asks about it, you can answer with confidence – that’s what sells the product. What’s next for the store? Future plans consist of adding some more brands, more exposure on social media, getting our website working to its full capability and employing staff. ANAND SHOES OF STAMFORD T: +44 (0)1780 767 688 W: anandofstamford.com