The independent retail sector in the UK and Ireland is full of creativity, enthusiasm and sound business intelligence.
In 2013 Underlines is organising the only independent awards for the sectors of underwear, swimwear and legwear for the 5th time. The competition is notable and unique in that nominations are provided by our jury (and not by the shops themselves!) and creates unrivalled credibility and acclaim for the winners. Some of them have put into words just how special winning the Stars Underlines Best Shop Awards was for them:
“Winning the prestigious Underlines Department Store Award was a fantastic motivator for our team. They proudly displayed the Award in the window, on the department and enjoyed telling our customers about the criteria required to win it. Our Directors were thrilled that an acknowledgement of all the emphasis the store encourages for first class customer care, exciting ranges and merchandising standards were recognised by the industry and thank our suppliers for working with us on this.”
Denise Green, Lingerie & Womenswear Buyer, Jarrolds of Norwich
“Winning Stars Best Shop Award means a sense of “Pride” to us at Bradbeers. It is encouraging that what we love to do each day is recognised and appreciated. We also feel that our loyal customers are proud of the award coming to us and the local area.”
Liza Maffezzoni, Buyer for Smith Bradbeer, Romsey
“Winning a Stars Underlines Award has been such an honour and a privilege: it is the best accolade that we could wish for and it is recognition that we offer excellent service and product range, great for staff morale and positive customer perception of our business.”
Marjorie Thompson, Owner of Chantilly Lingerie, Rochdale
“Winning the Stars Underlines Award for Outstanding Achievement & Excellence in 2012 left us stunned and delighted. Knowing our customers voted for us meant a great deal and that Christmas we had customers whom we thought had forgotten we were there, come and in and congratulate us! We still have the Award prominently on display in the shop and it really is a testament to our success and customer loyalty.”
Penny English, Owner of See-Saw Lingerie, Altrincham
“Being nominated, let alone becoming a finalist and then going on to win a Stars Underlines Best Shop Award is an endorsement of years of hard work, running your own business can be a lonely process and having the recognition of ‘Best Concept Store’ brought me to the point of tears. Tallulah’s customers love that they are part of and support an award-winning independent lingerie boutique.”
Nicola Adams, owner of Tallulah, Islington London
“When we opened D’Braz in Banstead in 2003, I can remember Chris and I standing on the opposite side of the road in the early hours of a Saturday morning (2.00am!) looking admiringly at our brightly lit window. Exhausted, tearful, proud, nervous – a basket of emotions. Four years on we stood at the Tara Hotel with exactly those emotions having won an Underlines Stars Award (Editor’s Choice) which was followed the subsequent year with the Personal Touch Award. That’s what winning these prestigious awards mean to us – we still have the passion and heart for the business that we had in the very beginning.”
Sue Birchmore & Christine Thompson, Owners of D’Braz, Banstead & Cobham
