“The Times They are A-Changin’”Dylan wrote this archetypal protest song in October 1963, the month & year I was born. It was a deliberate attempt to create an anthem of change for the time…
…and 57 years on, we are all living through another period of great global change & uncertainty.
As an Independent shop owner, Covid has forced us to reassess our business practices & to consider the options for us to survive in the future.
The Abrahams philosophy from day one has always been to offer customers individual style, original design, fabulous quality, trusted brands and ‘something different’. We aren’t a ‘Designer’ outlet nor are we offering ‘Fast Fashion’.
Our brands create clothing we want to wear now, next year & the year after; timeless styles that transcend fashion. I learnt from my (very stylish) mother that it is better to buy three or four key pieces each season that I’ll love & never tire of, rather than ending up with a wardrobe of impulsive buys that I’d regret. She was right; I’m still wearing my Barbour ‘Bedale’ wax jacket bought when I was 17, a classic black Armani jacket that I’ve had at least 25 years as well as my Great Granny’s moleskin coat which must be at least 100 years old!
I now find myself repeating mum’s words to my 17 & 21 year old daughters as well as discussing the negative impact that ‘Fast Fashion’ is placing on our environment. Hopefully, I’m doing something right as fewer online orders are being delivered to them both and they’ve recently bought pieces from our store brands including St. James, OUI, Moliin & Eribe. They even asked if I would get my old Barbour rewaxed for them to use!
Over the 5 years that we’ve had the store, we now realise that most of our buying choices perfectly fit our philosophy. We’ve resisted following the High Street Stores’ timetable of always having January and September sales, and have ignored the detestable imported ‘Black Friday’. Why would any successful business actively choose to erode their margins and subsequently, demean their products and brands? Surely, it can’t be a coincidence that many of those same stores are now on their last legs or have simply closed.
Of course, I haven’t always got our buying 100% right and we have offered occasional discounted lines when we’ve over-stocked, dropped brands or simply got it wrong. But we’ve chosen when – not the High Street.
We sincerely hope the days of endless sales & heavy discounts are starting to become a thing of the past. All retailers should be offering their customers something more; a far richer shopping experience. We would like our customers to choose those 3 or 4 key pieces each season from our store with helpful assistance, rather than buying ‘blind’ from a faceless online shop. By continuing to offer exceptional customer service, knowledge and a memorable shopping experience, we hope not only to survive, but hope to prosper with your unceasing support.
So here we are. A changing world requires us all to alter our habits and decide what is important not only to us as individuals, but to the wider world…
Best wishes
Josie