THE MAGIC OF SNOB
Part 2: We've Never Just Sold Clothes
SNOB started in 2010.
Not with a grand business plan to conquer the fashion world, but with a love of clothes, people and the belief that shopping should be fun.
From a market stall to four shops, and through all the changes that retail has thrown at us, SNOB has evolved, adapted and occasionally had to reinvent itself.
But the one thing that hasn't changed is why we do it.
It's always been about the people.
Before I became a retailer, I worked in advertising, first in sales, then management and then as a coach and trainer.
And one of the most important lessons I learnt was that you have to understand your motivation - to do anything!
If you're in retail purely to make money, you'll have a tough time.
If you're in retail simply because you love pretty clothes, you'll probably have an even tougher time.
But if you're genuinely motivated by helping people, making connections and creating something that makes a difference to someone's day, then you've got the beginnings of something special.
And I think that's where the magic starts.
WE'VE NEVER JUST SOLD CLOTHES
Over the years, we've dressed women for weddings, holidays, birthdays, new jobs, first dates and second chances.
We've helped women rediscover their confidence.
We've celebrated good news and listened when the news hasn't been so good.
We've laughed until we've cried.
And sometimes we've just cried.
We've had customers come through the door needing an outfit and leave having found something they didn't even know they were looking for.
A little confidence.
A friendly face.
A laugh.
Or simply the reassurance that somebody was listening.
We've always said:
Arrive as strangers. Leave as friends.
And after 16 years, I think we've earned the right to say it.
IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS
And the lovely thing is, these moments aren't unusual.
They happen every single day, to every single one of us.
Customers tell us we've changed how they dress, how they feel about themselves, and that they wouldn't dream of going anywhere else when they've got a special occasion.
Just this Saturday, a customer popped in especially to tell us a story.
She'd spent several years living in the Caribbean and, now back in chilly Devon, had started digging out her old winter clothes.
She expected them to be tired, dated and ready for the rag bag.
But when she pulled out her SNOB clothes, she was delighted. They still looked fantastic, and she couldn't wait to wear them again.
And she wanted to tell us.
She also picked up a couple of base layers because, after all that Caribbean sunshine, the Devon temperatures were proving rather a shock!
It was such a simple conversation.
But think about it.
Years after buying those clothes from her favourite boutique in Tiverton, she still loved them. And when she rediscovered them, she immediately came back in, as if she'd just been out of town for a couple of weeks.
That's not just a successful sale. That's a relationship.
And it's one of hundreds of little moments that remind us why we do what we do.
THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THE MAGIC
Of course, SNOB isn't just me.
Never has been.
It's the women who've worked alongside me, past and present.
The customers who've supported us through thick and thin.
The friendships that have developed over changing-room curtains, cups of tea and conversations that started with, "I'm just looking."
It's the husbands who've patiently waited on the sofa.
The dogs who've popped in to say hello.
The women who bring their daughters, their mothers and their friends.
The people who've moved away but still shop with us online.
And the customers we've never met in person but who somehow feel as though they're part of the SNOB family.
All those little moments.
All those individual relationships.
They might not appear on a balance sheet, but they're worth an extraordinary amount.
And when you put all those individual experiences together, something rather wonderful happens.
They become bigger than any one person, any one purchase or any one conversation.
Which brings me to my favourite saying.
Next time: The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. And why that's a rather ironic choice of words for me!
Missed the beginning? Read Part 1: Before There Was a Brand.
Come and see us in Tiverton
SNOB is on Gold Street, in the heart of Tiverton, Mid Devon. Many of our customers make a day of it, travelling from across Devon, Somerset, Cornwall, Bristol and South Wales.
Planning a visit? Our Tiverton Visitor Guide covers where to park, where to grab a coffee and the best spots for lunch. Can't make the trip? Shop the new season online.
