Anna Park at the Anna boutique in Bury St Edmunds

Suffolk-born fashionista Anna Park has a string of boutiques in London and East Anglia and her empire is growing. Sheline Clarke went to meet her in Bury St Edmunds.

FASHION House ANNA started life in Norfolk’s Burnham Market 18 years ago and now has boutiques in Primrose Hill, Chelsea’s King’s Road, Harpenden, Holt, Saffron Walden and Bury St Edmunds, which is celebrating ten years in business during 2012.

A former catering chef who turned her hand to retail, opening stores for a large American chain, Anna Park decided to go into business when people back in Norfolk started asking here where she got her clothes. At the time she was splitting her time between Norfolk and London, mainly shopping in the capital, and quickly saw a gap in the market.

“I opened the first shop in Burnham Market with my mother, she had a real eye for clothes, and we worked together and it was a success from the moment we opened,” said Anna.

“The second shop was in Primrose Hill; that got a lot of attention because it was unusual to start a business somewhere like Norfolk and then take it to London. The FT even did a piece on us.

“No one had done it before, everyone assumed that Norfolk people just wanted wellies and jodhpurs but in some ways it’s easier away from London because people get excited about an evening out and dress up more – in London often people can’t be bothered.

“My mother always worked in fashion, we loved clothes and she was brilliant. We started styling people and opening their eyes to wearing clothes they wouldn’t normally wear, stocking clothes they could aspire to.

“I never sell anything I couldn’t afford and try to get people to dress well and find their own style, not to become a clone. It’s always been a multi-brand boutique and I suppose I am quite expressive and try and find things that are a bit quirky and individual.

“We do casual really well; we want clients to spend money on things they will wear all the time – a lovely jumper and jeans or trousers – a jumper might seem expensive but it could be the same price as an evening dress that you wear only once.”

Anna saw the recession coming and cut her cloth accordingly, seeking out more affordable lines recognizing that women still want to shop, despite the economic outlook.

“We realized that we weren’t going to be able to sell really expensive stuff so we had to change some of our labels and adapt the business to the situation. We do trousers for £45 now, which is the same as Marks & Spencer and T shirts for £15 so people can still come and shop. Our customers love shopping and we help them to pick out the right items.”

As you might expect, each shop is stocked according to the local demographic. In Bury St Edmunds, Anna aims for the 40 plus market, while in Primrose Hill she has a lot of young mums in her shop. In some she can, and does, dress three generations.

“We try not to do too much black,” she says, “and encourage the over 45s to go for colour and prints. Some think they can’t wear it but they absolutely can. It’s just finding the right piece and that’s what we do.”

Equally as important is the customer service. Anna now has a team of loyal staff who really know their stuff.

“The secret is my girls,” she says. “I have a very low turnover of staff, which is unusual in retail and they become very loyal and it gives me pleasure and delight that they enjoy it. All of the managers started as part-timers. They love what they do and never go to work unhappy – they are fantastic with the clients, and it’s really nice that they often ask me when I am going to see them.

“Customer service is paramount and I take it very seriously – if I ever got a complaint that would be the worst thing for me. All the girls know that the customer is everything.”

Splitting her time between London and Norfolk means that Anna can get to all the shops most weeks.

She is very hands-on with the business and says it is crucial to keep monthly accounts to remain close to each shop and understand what’s happening with the business.

That is crucial to her business philosophy and is at the heart of any advice she would give anyone else thinking of setting up a business.

“A lot of people think opening a fashion shop is glamorous and easy but it’s not, it’s hard work. When you run your own business you can never get away from it. I would also say that you are better being in business on your own, not as a partnership because then it is down to you and certainly don’t go into business with a friend. I think you can have a friendship or a partnership, not both, and that’s where some people go wrong.

“You have to know your business and know your clients, and don’t rely on friends becoming clients.

“I would recommend anyone considering starting a business to go for it so long as they know the risks and don’t over-stretch themselves with borrowing. Say close to your accounts – you need to know where the business is down to the last penny.”