IB Woman
Issue No. 25 - October/November 2005
Retail Reality...
Heidi Barreau, Cindy McFarlance and Jeannine Polvere
by Penelope Herbert
Heidi Barreau, Jeannine Polvere and Cindy McFarlane have opened retail stores respectively in interior design, fashion and food.
Heidi opened Plume at Henley Beach and Cindy opened The Food Business at Hazelwood Park.
Both picked their outlet locations specifically because there were no competing businesses in their socio-economic target area.
Jeannine regrets opening Mint in a small group of mismatched shops, albeit on a very busy thoroughfare.
“There is heaps of passing traffic being Glynburn Road,” she says, “but there is no reason for people to stop unless they are interested in fashion.
“Luckily, I have a good client base because I design and make to order and had been working from home, but the retail side, stocking other labels, hasn’t worked as well.”
Cindy was more specific in her quest for suitable premises and only looked in the Eastern suburbs.
“Location is always a factor and finding our current premises was serendipitous,” she says.
“Our main clientele is local but we are also a destination point being just 10 minutes from the City.”
“There are no other interior design stores in the Henley Beach area,” says Heidi, “and I felt there would be good clientele in the area because of all the development.
“I looked for a small shop that wouldn’t hold too much stock, or be too expensive to lease, with a view to providing such a personalised service that I could buy ...
