Local retail proves tonic
SHOPPERS COULDN’T WAIT TO GET A BIT OF RETAIL THERAPY ONCE THE CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS WERE EASED, AND PALM COVE BOUTIQUE OWNER ANNIE GILLOW WAS READY FOR THEM,
ANNIE Gillow has never lost her belief in the pulling power of a beautiful beach when it comes to attracting customers.
The owner of two Palm Cove clothing boutiques, Ms Gillow has been a retail anchor at the popular holiday destination for 12 years, also running a store in downtown Cairns for four years.
Despite years of experience, she needed all her wits about her to survive when Australia was ordered into coronavirus lockdown and the shutters came down on trade.
Ms Gillow dressed her windows at Annie’s at the Beach and Beach Catwalk regularly, kept her social media alive and offered private appointments to comply with social distancing regulations.
“Obviously, coronavirus put a lot of stress on things. In the high season, I need up to six staff to cover both my stores, being open seven days a week. But I was the only one left working and wasn’t able to pay myself wages,” she said.
“You simply must adjust to the times. Overcoming the challenges has been tough, but to survive as a local business, you deal with what opportunities are there.”
OVERCOMING THE CHALLENGES HAS BEEN TOUGH, BUT TO SURVIVE AS A LOCAL BUSINESS, YOU DEAL WITH WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE
ANNIE GILLOW
When the Queensland Government eased business restrictions earlier this month, she was ready – and so were the customers.
“The smiles and expressions of relief on customers’ faces was obvious. Never has the term ‘retail therapy’ been more appropriate,” Ms Gillow said.
“Many said how great it felt to shop again and they enjoyed being able to get out and back to a new kind of normal.
“You could tell they were on a mission. They said they’d come from the Tablelands or from the city or from Redlynch and ‘we’ve come to spend’.” It was music to her ears.
“In these tumultuous times, it is imperative that there is continued local support as everyone overcomes the challenges, seizes the opportunities that are present and visits the amazing place that we live in.
I’ve been really grateful for anyone who has come out to Palm Cove. There’s some pretty nice people out there, there really are,” Ms Gillow said.
“Wonderful local customers are following and keeping up with what I am doing, which is truly humbling.
“I’ve had a number of new people come to my shops and say they haven’t been to Palm Cove for years or never been in the shop before, so it’s nice for Palm Cove to get some fresh people in.”
She said she was even prepared for the cold snap, sourcing some “slightly longer