Future Proof: Keeping it personal at Marian Gale makes business a good ft

There are few boutiques that survive three decades in the fickle world of women's fashion. Marian Gale has been in business since 1980 and puts her longevity down to knowing her customers, buying well and having cross-generation appeal. Whether it's a first communion dress or an outfit for the mother of the bride, her niche has always been special clothes for special occasions.

She prides herself on the fact that the little girls she dresses for communion frequently come back for debs and wedding dresses.

Gale trained in dress design at the Grafton Academy in Dublin. This knowledge has informed her buying decisions.

“I look for quality and literally turn garments inside out when I’m buying,” she says. “I can see how things can be altered to fit a customer better and my days start with a visit to my tailor when we discuss the alterations in detail. We’re probably best known for occasion wear, but we also carry a full range of everyday wear mainly in classic styles that never date.”

'Young and enthusiastic'
Gale opened her first shop in Clontarf in 1980. "The timing wasn't great as the economy was in trouble and people told me I was mad," she says. "But when you're young and enthusiastic, you are willing to take on the world. As it turned out this was the first of three recessions I've gone through.

“I started in Clontarf because I couldn’t afford a lease on the south side. Then, as now, there were too many general boutiques and too many shopping centres so I had to develop a niche.”

Gale subsequently opened a second outlet in Donnybrook in 1984. She ran the two shops for a short period before deciding that if her name was above the door, she had to be there. “I never ‘get’ this practice of opening multiple outlets. I mean how could you possibly ensure quality of service all of the time? I work six days a week and have done so for the last 33 years.” she says.

A slowing economy in 1992 encouraged Gale to go to college at night to study for a degree in business studies.

'Marketing lessons'
"I was hoping I'd pick up ways of driving the business forward and securing it for the future," she says. " Crowning the Customer by Feargal Quinn was on the reading list and it really inspired me. I had always admired his skill as a retailer. I got a lot out of the course in the area of organisational management and marketing, and I have been quite good at applying the marketing lessons learned.

“We have built up a database of several thousand customers and run very focused marketing campaigns based on what information they tell us they want. Many customers are now on email and we have a digital presence but we still print colour brochures (at some cost) because a sufficient number tell us they look forward to them arriving. We are very specific about our spending on advertising.”

The Marian Gale boutique is the antithesis of the trendy minimalist outlets that display a small number of garments in a big space. “Everything we have is on display. We don’t have a stockroom. I think people like to see their options both in terms of style and price,” she says.

The boutique employs five people and Gale’s daughter, who is currently studying commerce, is keen to become involved.

Gale says the current recession has been difficult.

“We have had to pare back costs as much as possible,” she says. “We got rid of the water cooler, stopped late-night opening to save on staff costs and cut back on advertising. We now iron the tissue and save the plastic covers that come with the stock for reuse. I’m not a bit embarrassed about admitting to being frugal.”

Customer service
Gale believes the key to her survival has been good old-fashioned customer service. She also says putting her own stamp on the business has been very important. She has done this through physically being there and having garments made with her own label.

“I have built up relationships with a number of small, family-owned tailoring businesses in Italy and I get top notch quality from them.”

If things don’t sell Gale gives them to charity shops. “I’d rather they got something decent from selling them rather than me discounting items at 70 per cent,” she says.

Marian Gale has no adventurous expansion plans. “We are around a long time, are good at what we do and are always trying to do it better. My daughter is coming along now and injecting new blood and fresh ideas into the business, which is great, but basically we will be sticking to the knitting.”