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Painted Black: portrait of success It is always tough setting up a new company. Amelia Dillingham talks to Matt Scott about how to find the right property, unusual marketing techniques and getting customers to come back again and again
Amelia Dillingham
Owner Amelia Dillingham with the shop dog and marketing tactic, Rose, in her award winning vintage store in North London
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hreatening to kill your pet to attract customers may seem barking mad, but former gardener Amelia Dillingham has sown the seeds of success brilliantly. In her first 12 months of trading, Painted Black has been turning profit and winning awards. Named in Time Out’s Top 50 Coolest Vintage Shops in London and Top 500 London Shops, Painted Black was also crowned ‘Best New Vintage Shop’ by Vintage Guide to London. Dillingham says that one of the defining factors in her success was taking her time to choose the right property. Her shop is located in Crouch End, North London, where she says “prices are ridiculous”. Despite this, Dillingham knew it was perfect for her vintage shop. She waited, saving money from her job as a gardener until a suitable and affordable property became available. In the end she enquired about a vacant site just off the main street owned by Haringey Council. As it was council run, the rent was set at a lower price than those owned by private landlords, who often charge a premium above the standard market rate. As a start-up she received a rent-free period to help her settle in. Haringey Council’s property manager Shenaz
Begum says: “Tenants can get up to three months rent-free if the property needs doing up and is not fit for trading.” It is negotiated by the tenant and is intended to be an incentive to encourage small businesses to take up vacant councilowned properties. Haringey Council also has an agreement that competing businesses cannot be opened in the same area. This means that Painted Black will be the only vintage shop on the street. Dillingham says this is helpful in limiting competitors, but also understands that there are drawbacks. She thinks vintage begets vintage. “Having other shops in the area may have helped attract even more customers to the shop,” she says. Dillingham received the keys to Painted Black in December 2011 and a month later opened the doors. As a new business she realised that she needed to attract customers, and then keep them coming back. Her first strategy was a clever marketing ploy. Dillingham says: “I put up a flyer with a photo of my dog looking very sad saying ‘Come to Painted Black or Rose the shop dog gets it’.” The move was a triumph, and customers started coming in to have a look around and see if Rose was still barking fit.
Come to Painted Black or the shop dog gets it
The flyers were complemented by an active social media campaign. With a growing following on Twitter, Dillingham mixes business related stories with a few of her own more personal comments. Whether she tweets the details of new stock, her trials with tax returns or an update on how Rose is doing, they are all intended to interest her followers. Dillingham also realised that once she drew customers into the shop she needed to build a community. She started events to create a feel-good image around the shop. These included charity raffles, Halloween parties and gigs. Not only did this allow people to come and have fun, it also meant that people could view her goods as they enjoyed the event – another marketing opportunity. It is this approach, along with the quality of the items for sale, that led to Vintage Guide to London describing Painted Black as: ‘A very impressive addition to the London vintage scene!’ As Painted Black embarks upon its second year of trading, Dillingham is continuing to lay the foundations for an even more successful and efficient operation. Through patience, clever marketing and diversification she is ensuring that customers get exactly what they want. ■