A SCHOOL uniform shop which has seen generations of children pass through its doors has celebrated 30 years in Salisbury.
Martin Bunn, of East Gomeldon, had been selling children’s clothes on the market for seven years before he “took a gamble” and opened a shopfront with his wife Tracey in Endless Street, while his eldest daughter Shannon was just five months old.
Kids Klobber opened with roughly £1k worth of stock and the shopfloor was much smaller than it is now.
The shop initially sold baby clothes and nursery fashion with a small amount of school wear but Tracey recognised a demand, listened to customers and started stocking more school uniform.
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As more customers flocked to the shop, expansion was necessary. The rear kitchen was converted into more retail space and Martin recalled the discomfort of using an outdoor toilet.
Thirty years on, Martin is proud to say that Kids Klobber is now the official retailer for 18 different schools across Salisbury which he said has been “very important” for the business.
“If people need something, they have got to come here to get it. We have got second and third generations of customers coming in with their children,” he added.
Kids Klobber does not offer online shopping and the couple, both aged 58, believe customer service is one of the reasons their business has thrived in the city.
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Martin explained how one family is assigned to one shop assistant at a time so that a tailored experience can be offered to everyone.
This often results in queues stretching down the street during the shop’s busiest month, August, but customers are quite happy to wait.
Working seven days a week during the peak season, the couple said they are happy with the single shop and have no plans to expand further afield.
“A lot goes on behind the scenes, putting stock out and getting deliveries. We’re in our 50s now so we’re happy where we are,” Martin said.
A unique skill the couple have acquired during their 30 years is being able to determine the exact fit of trousers a child needs as soon as they walk through the door.
“You don’t get that sort of personal touch in a bigger shop. There’s not many other independent shops left like ours,” Martin added.
The couple wanted to thank customers for their loyalty over the years and said they plan to keep the shop running for as long as they are still fit to do so.
Do you have any memories of Kids Klobber?
Send us your photos or memories of the Salisbury's school uniform shop Kids Klobber as it celebrates 30 years in the city.
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