Gift Focus inc Attire Accessories - November/December 2020

98 What are your current bestselling lines? We do very well with Matches, which are beautifully packaged. Jewellery is always a staple at Yard and hair accessories are currently a big trend. Are you active on social media, and how do you use it for your business? We try to post all our new ranges, and regularly post images of staff outfits and favourite new arrivals. What brands do you stock and why? With regard to gifts and accessories we stock lots of brands. Scarfs from an amazing company called Becksondergaard, hair accessories and bags from Black Colour, matches from Archivist Gallery, toiletries and candles from the Somerset Toiletry Company, True Grace and Chalk, amazing water bottles from Swell, and much more. How often do you change up your window dressings and displays? We move the whole shop around once a week, so it always looks different for our regular customers. What are your plans to do develop your online presence? We haven’t got any current plans but happily post stock to customers. Do you undertake any charitable initiatives? If so, what? We have supported several woman’s charities. Do you attend any trade shows and if so, which ones and why? Pre COVID-19 we went to most UK shows like Top Drawer and Home & Gift, as well as Pure London and Scoop. The reason we visit shows is to keep up-to-date with new emerging trends and make sure we don’t miss out on new products Are you looking to open more stores across the UK? We are not currently looking to expand but you never know. What has been your standout moment since opening the store, and why? In the first year that we opened we won the Drapers new business of the year award, which was a massive accreditation form the industry. Today we just love all the positivity and love that our customers have for the team and the shop. Is Brexit/the coronavirus affecting your store at present? It’s been a tough year. As we are not online we had to close our business during lockdown, but customers are excited to be back and backing their local shops as they want independent shops to survive. How do you view the retail market at present, and what advice would you give other retailers? I think the retail market is a challenge currently and customers have become used to spending more online. But we know our customers come to us for the friendly service and unique edit of stock, so we feel if we continue to do what we do well, we should have a strong season. What are your plans for the future? To continue to bring lovely new brands to our customers, and maybe have a holiday when we are able to travel again. YARD RETAILERS +44 (0)1305 757 337 E: info@yardretailers.com www.yardretailers.com