Adviser - Summer 2016

Frankly they’re a model of business resilience

Q. Sixty years is pretty good going for a retailer. Can you identify some of the things that have helped you succeed where others have fallen by the wayside? A: We started small and have grown steadily over the years. My parents started the business in 1956, when my dad sold sewing machines door-to-door, which was hard going! Getting funding to start up a business was very hard back then. Initially, many machines were second-hand and my Dad dismantled the machines and my parents would physically take them into London to have them re-enamelled, dad carried four and mum carried two. The machines were brought back, re-assembled to be sold on. It helped that my dad was a trained engineer and my mum had worked for Singer’s sewing machines, so they really knew the machine technology inside out. Over the years we’ve seen that our customers have come to realise that our staff are experts in their field – in fact I’d say that for many of them the Franklins name is more important than the brand of machine that they are buying. They know that if we stock it, then it’s been thoroughly tested before going on sale. So attention to detail, and our professional standards have certainly helped us to build the brand.

Q. How has the business developed over the years?

Franklins needlecraft and sewing machine store on St Botolph’s Street in Colchester is celebrating sixty years in business this year. Adviser spoke to Trevor Franklin , company director, on weathering the ups and downs of retailing, and what they are doing to prepare for the future.

A: Franklins initially rented premises on Essex Street where the Salvation Army is now located. From there we moved to Crouch Street, then Head Street and finally St Botolph Street where we have been for over thirty years. The other shops have been added one by one, so it’s been a controlled expansion. Ipswich was the first, followed by Dovercourt, Chelmsford and Salisbury (which we bought from a dealer). We now have forty two staff working in five shops, three service departments and a warehouse. I started on the shop floor when I was seventeen and later took control of the accounts department, although I had been helping out since I was small. I didn’t ever consider doing anything else - it’s in the blood!

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