STOCKS

LISE HARROW

Q&A Seeing

DOUBLE

Stocks are based in Marlow and Henley, and are run by a mother and daughter in law team. We catch up with the latter, Lise Harrow

Interview MARK KEBBLE

Q You’re a mother and daughter in law team. When did you fi rst discuss the possibility of going into business together?

A We decided around Christmas time 2016 as we felt Henley had the potential to attract customers looking for a good independent boutique with not just gifts, but a mix of great quality clothing and greeting cards. I had recently returned to the UK from a long period in Hong Kong, and Sandie has several years’ experience running and owning her own gift shops in Cambridgeshire.

Q Was it tough to launch the business?

A We were lucky to quickly fi nd a broad range of brands so it was not too hard – it was actually lots of fun choosing which items we felt would be the right mix of products.

Q Why did you choose Henley and Marlow as the two locations for your shops?

A Henley was the natural fi rst location as Sandie lives there and we have spent a lot of time visiting the high street. When we decided to open a shop in Marlow, it was mainly as we felt it lacked a good independent boutique o ering a more unique and individual mix of gifts and clothes.

Q What do you love about being based in Marlow?

A We love the vibe in Marlow and its great

selection of restaurants, cafes and shops, plus the riverside location. There’s always a nice atmosphere on the high street and I think people like to visit as it has a lot to o er. We are lucky to be amongst many great independent boutiques as well as some good high street chains such as Sweaty Betty.

Q From day one, what did you want to o er?

A We wanted to o er a really individual, good quality mix of gifts, greeting cards and ladies’ clothes. I am Danish and I love many of the Scandi brands that are very popular at the moment as they are well priced, on trend and well made. We also wanted to bring brands that are both sustainable and fair trade as it’s so important to support these brands who are working hard on doing something good for the environment and/or supporting local communities. For example, our plastic shoppers are made from recycled plastic bottles and woven by women in Vietnam. We also stock hand woven laundry baskets from West Africa, which send a part of their proceeds to fund school buses in their local area. Our cashmere brand Van Kukil, another sustainable business, is committed to the preservation of their local environment in Kashmir and the preservation of grasslands.

Q What kind of brands do you stock now?

A We are very proud of our range of cashmere brands, it’s such a lovely, luxurious and still timeless piece of clothing that can be worn almost all year round as even in the summer, evenings get can get chilly. We also carry several brands that o er clothing for everyday – dresses that can be dressed up for an event and worn more casually for every day. Silk shirts, lace tops for layering, and great premium jeans. Many of our fashion brands are from Scandinavia and our gift brands are sourced in both London and Paris. We stock lovely candles and di users from Sicily, tableware from Denmark, and jewellery brands from both London, Paris and Copenhagen.

Q What tend to be the most popular items you sell?

A It’s really hard to say. Some people come looking for an outfit to wear to an occasion, and other people love to treat themselves to new knitwear – especially this time of year.

Q How di cult was the pandemic for you?

A It was super hard at first, but we were lucky to be able to take advantage of the furlough scheme and keep all our team with us – we are like a family. Our suppliers were also very helpful and flexible with deliveries. We also managed to improve and upgrade our website and added many more products to the online o ering. We o ered free delivery and click-collect service.

Q Why have you recently partnered up with Atterley.com?

A Atterley has really helped us reach customers all over the UK and internationally as well. It has been so easy working with Atterley as our website works in partnership with theirs – once we add new products online, they appear instantly on Atterley.com. Brexit made it harder for us to sell outside the UK, but Atterley has helped us still reach customers all over the world.

Q Where would you like to take Stocks from here?

A We hope to continue to grow the business, both in our stores in Marlow and Henley, as well as online. We always focus on finding new brands and our sta are here to help find that perfect outfit – or gift!