Stores with History

I took an old friend shopping the other day. We took the bus into Richmond, and then the Canada Line into Vancouver. We got off on Cambie Street, and walked a few blocks to The Dressing Room.

I used to have a ladies clothing store. In the early 1990's, a lot of people had clothing stores. That is certainly not true, anymore. This fact, makes the success of this independent retailer, all the more amazing. The friend I went to Vancouver with, used to be a customer of mine. The thing I hear most often, when I run into former customers is that since I closed my stores they don't know where to shop! Flattery aside, I believe them. Where can real sized women, of a certain age, purchase fashionable, good quality clothing? My poor friend confessed that she has been shopping at places where you can buy workboots and coveralls! YIKES!! She also told me that she has NEVER in her life, thrown away as much clothing as she has in the last few years, due to poor quality.

I remembered the Dressing Room, as a clothing store that carried both petites, and had sizes that went to a size 18, or an XXL. I find that with almost all of the clothing produced off shore, the sizes have gotten way out of whack. I weigh around 130 lbs, and was wearing a t-shirt yesterday that was an XL! I used to tell my customers that size was no indicator that something should or shouldn't fit you. That's what the sales assistant is for...to explain that this brand fits large...or that brand fits small. Nothing to do with you...at all. Even though it had been quite a few years since I had been to The Dressing Room...I was pleasantly surprised to see that the store looked and felt as I remembered. How many of us return again and again to a favorite store, simply for the ' FEELING' it gives us? If you could teach potential retailers how to produce this elusive feel good atmosphere...every single retialer in the world would be successful...and we wouldn't have the business failure rate that we have today.

My friend and I were on a mission to build a wardobe that flattered, would be versatile, and easy care/good quality. I am glad to report that we had a great time choosing, and had a wide variety to choose from. I don't know if I speak for most women...but one stop shopping is how I like to do it. The sales associates were very attentive, and eventhough I acted as the personal shopper, and bossy friend, they did everything they could to help whenever we needed a size, or another color, or had a question. My friend ended up with 10, great new pieces, and e-mailed me the following week to say that she was getting COMPLIMENTS on her outfits. Stores like The Dressing Room are rare, because they have stayed true to their customer, no matter what. If you shopped there 10 years ago, or the day before yesterday...you know what to expect, when you walk through the front door. How many retailers have started with a clear vision, and then in a few months or a few years, started to erode their core business with other concepts or ideas, at the expense of their loyal customers, in hopes of attracting some new ones?

You have to believe in who you are ,as a retailer. My friend and I are already planning another trip in, to have a look at the new seasons offerings...