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30/05/2024
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’ Libbys Lines
WITH MEN IN MIND
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ur summer stock was arriving thick and fast, but customers were definitely not in that summer mindset in April, and we did (albeit prematurely!) start to have a panic. The primary sales in April were presents and cards, hinting that there was an overall restriction on disposable income. I must admit, we were worried that this was a sign of the times, and more scarily, of things to come, but the appearance of the sun in May definitely helped to revive this stagnation in sales, particularly in the boutique. It’s amazing how a glimpse of sun can alter people’s mindset. The weekend Rayleigh hit 25 degrees, people were enthusiastically popping in to buy multiple clothing items for their holiday wardrobe. So, here’s hoping the sun sticks around a little longer! Looking forward, the next event in the retail calendar is Father’s Day. While it’s not one of our major seasonal celebrations (we are definitely more of a female gifting destination!), we always try to source unique gifts for people to pick up while passing through. We gravitate towards a theme we know is guaranteed to sell all year round – football – which is a huge hit for us – especially anything West Ham-related. So, we’ve topped up on our all year round best sellers - our boxed marble coasters. With a variation of price ranges, starting at £7.99 for one, and £29.99 for a set of four, these handcrafted coasters are available with prints of vintage football programmes, tickets and caricatures of iconic players, as well as comedic phrases such as ‘I’d rather be watching (West Ham!)”. Not only are they quirky and unique, there is also the benefit that they sell all year round. Meanwhile, we’ve found that the primary sentiment Father’s Day gifts that sell are those targeted towards younger children buying for ‘Daddy’, which we’ve made sure to top up in preparation! A new product we have this year is from White Cotton. We’ve stocked the company’s cards for years and were very excited when they released their new range of football socks! We first got our hands on them at Christmas and they sold out within in a week, so we were over the moon to receive our new delivery last month. Retailing at £6.99, we stock them in most major
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With Father’s Day around the corner, and putting the wettest April on record to one side, Libby Holden, owner of Lovely Libby’s in Rayleigh, reveals why football themed giftware is the shop’s go-to.
Premier League teams. They’re the ideal price point for a pick up gift, meaning that we still have the benefit of generating Father’s Day custom despite not being the primary destination for ‘main’ presents. Another product we’ve found falls into this category is the Rosie Made a Thing coasters. They’re just £3.50 and always result in a giggle from customers. Again, a great add on gift that can also sell all year round. My favourite is the one that reads ‘there is no greater love than that between a grumpy dad and the pet they said they never wanted’. Accompanied with an illustration of a dad and a dog cuddling on the sofa, it’s proving to be the most popular so far! We’re well known in Rayleigh for our window displays,
and this year our town councillors requested that shops in the high street turn their windows Forget-Me-Not blue in aid of Dementia Awareness Week (13–19 May). We took this opportunity to combine our Father’s Day window with all things blue to help raise awareness of the illness in our community, and we’re over the moon with how many people have stopped to admire the display. This involvement in community schemes is something we will always do. I think is imperative to small local businesses! Not only does it reflect a dedication to the town in which you’re based, it also has the benefit of raising our profile to those who reside there, a win-win for all.”
PROGRESSIVE
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GIFTS & HOME
Above: Among Lovely Libby’s best sellers are White Cotton’s Premier League football socks. Above left: An eye-catching window display for Father’s Day.