Jenna Barnes founded her brand Raine & Bea in 2013 and opened the Raine & Bea boutique in December 2018 in Clitheroe. She stocks Raine & Bea, Studio Pia, Something Wicked, Tallulah Love, Katherine Hamilton and Vera & William, with nylon stockings by Burlesque Nylons By YLJ Design and vegan and eco-friendly silk wash by The Clothes Doctor.
“I decided to close early as I was already on maternity leave and we chose to take our kids out of school before the government ordered the closure, as we didn’t want to risk our then 7 week old baby potentially being exposed to anything. We closed on 10th March. Raine & Bea has always had an online presence via our website and social media. We existed online before we had the boutique.”
How are you retaining your customer loyalty whilst your shop is closed?
We have a good relationship with our customers and a handful which are the regulars stay in touch via emails, telephone calls and text to check what new lines are in stock.
Do you use social media already to keep in touch with customers? Are you considering adding any new media such as Skype, Zoom to keep in touch and do online appointments?
We do have a social media presence, mainly Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, we also use LinkedIn. We are always looking into other ways to keep in touch with our customers. We have cancelled all of our private appointments until it’s safe to do otherwise, we’ll be waiting on the government to give the go ahead to reopen our boutique.
In your enforced leave from your business, do you think you are being well enough informed by national government?
I don’t think we are well informed by the government but I do appreciate the magnitude and ever changing nature of the crisis. I have looked into the Business Interruption Scheme but unfortunately we don’t qualify as the boutique has only been open and trading for 16 months.
Can you take advantage for yourself and/or any full or part time staff of the Job Retention Scheme?
As Raine & Bea is a limited company and I’m a director I am not applicable for the Job Retention Scheme. I have one member of staff who works on a feelance basis.
Have you had any difficulty with your landlords?
Since I have received my £10,000 small business grant I do not need to ask my landlord for a break from my rent payments. Where I can I want to pay my suppliers and bills for the boutique to keep everything running smoothly. I have emptied my boutique of all stock so I have asked for a couple of months break from my insurance providers and they have offered to adjust the level of cover so that the building and current contents are still covered. I have brought all of my stock home so I can run my online business and keep up with orders.
If you are still selling (online or at a distance) have you noticed any trends towards soft and unstructured garments (as opposed to fitted corsetry)?
I have noticed a change in shopping habits as more robes and slips are proving popular. Each business faces its own challenges, for Raine & Bea we think the future will become more focused on social media and online sales presence. As we’re a theatrical inspired brand we would to expand our shop based events as they have proven successful in the past.
Where do you think independent stores can put their energy to future-proof their business e.g. digital assets, niche products and your ‘public’ image to customers? What about an online poll with your customers?
We would engage with our customers more and ask for feedback for the store reopening. I have been using my “face” as the face of the business online as it receives more interaction with customers. We have found that the behind the scenes videos/photos have as much if not more attention than the finished production at a photo shoot. People are intrigued as to what happens behind the scenes which is more personable.
Have you any initiatives for special deliveries to charity or to the medical profession?
Last month I actually had suspected Covid-19 and now I’m fully recovered I’m channelling my energies into making scrubs for the NHS. I could easily have spent this downtime designing and making one off pieces but instead I’ve chosen to help the NHS as I think at this time those with the resources should come together to support those on the frontline risking their lives for all of us.
My crowdfunding page has proven extremely successful and I’ve received three times the amount I hoped too. This money will all go to cover the material, patterns and delivery costs. My husband and children will be helping me to sew the scrubs.
