RETAIL INTERVIEW:
Fleming’s Department Store
Rob Fleming
Surviving & thriving Founded back in 1949, Fleming’s Department Store in Monaghan, Ireland, is a third generation independent family run business that boasts a successful gift department. Back open again, and buzzing with customers, we caught up with MD Rob Fleming to discover how the store that employs over 150 people survived the Covid lockdown and why he places such importance on customer service Rob, Fleming’s is a family-owned department store, founded in 1949. What’s the story behind it? My grandfather, Fred Fleming first started the business in 1949 as a small grocer’s shop that grew and expanded over the years. It was passed to my dad in the 1980s and he developed it into the current department store format. More recently it came to me, and we’re very proud to be a third generation independent family-run business. My mum and dad are still very much involved in the business alongside myself and my wife, Sarah, who is our marketing manager.
still involved in the day to day running of the electrical department, however in 2018 I also took on a general management role overseeing an additional five other departments in store. Earlier this year, I officially took over from my dad, Gordon, as Managing Director of the entire business.
You have 16 departments within the store. How important are gifts within the mix? Our gift department has been really important since we introduced it to our offering in the mid 1990s. It has grown over the years from quite a traditional offering to include a more modern and trend-driven range in recent What’s your career journey to years. From new home gifts, this role? engagements and weddings, I joined the business in 2004 s occasions or simply just a as electrical department y lwa treat for themselves, our manager, straight ‘We a above go customers really seem after completing my o r t u e o striv d for e is to love our range of marketing degree. n o y e products and brands. Over the years since and b rs and ther ill w e e m Our gift department is I have nurtured and w o t t s cu eques to’ r well complemented by grown that business a y l rare er say no other departments in store to become one of our ev such as home & interiors, highest performing electrical home appliances, departments in store. I’m fashion, toys, nursery and of 60 Gifts Today
course Christmas. We’re also home to a fabulous in-store café with views across a picturesque lake - so we’re the perfect spot to happily spend a few hours shopping and browsing for gorgeous gifts. Social media shows that customers really enjoy the in-store experience at Fleming’s. Does the company have a particular ethos when it comes to customer service? Customer service is an integral part of our business – my grandfather had very high standards and this ethos more than any has carried through strongly over the generations. We always strive to go above and beyond for our customers and there is rarely a request we will ever say no to. If there is something our customers would like which we don’t have, we will do everything in our power to source it for them. As a local, family-run business it would be impossible to have survived and thrived all of these years without ensuring customer satisfaction. Do you have a typical customer – and does this differ instore and online? As a heritage business with a wide range of departments in store, we have quite a broad
