THE DEPARTMENT STORE DIVA

NAME DEBORAH HOLMES COMPANY SANDERSONS BOUTIQUE STORE

After 20 years as a full-time mother, Deborah, 54, was ready for a new challenge. In September 2016 she opened Sandersons, a boutique department store in a new shopping centre on the site of an old steelworks in her home town of Stocksbridge, North Sheffield. She is married with two daughters.

The catalyst My youngest daughter Lucy was leaving home for university and it seemed like the right time to do something for me. I had set up and sold my own business running a free newspaper before I had children, and I was keen for the girls to see their mum as a strong and capable businesswoman. The big idea Our family business Dransfield Properties was working on Fox Valley, a new retail development, and I saw the opportunity to bring something fresh to the area. Many department stores feel samey. I wanted to bring a good line-up of recognised brands but also local and independent products. First steps I had to persuade Fox Valley that taking on my project was a good idea. I put together a clear business plan about the sort of store I wanted Sandersons to be and was lucky to secure a loan through the family business. Biggest challenges I had a long list of big brands I wanted to stock, but it was daunting asking them to take a chance on a new retail destination. I felt instinctively that Barbour, as a northern-based company, would understand what we were trying to achieve. When it said yes, I had the confidence to approach the next brand on the list. Persuading the cosmetics brand Inglot to come to the North wasn’t easy. It is popular online with flagship stores in London. We’ve also brought different skincare and cosmetics ranges to this part of Yorkshire, including Green People, Merumaya and SKN-RG. The age advantage As a mother you take on so many roles and fight so many battles it has made me believe I can tackle anything. My experiences mean I am more measured in my response to issues at work and I see things through a wider lens. I enjoy teamwork and the talent it brings out in people – this is the most exciting part of creating a business – and I understand it better now than I did 30 years ago. What’s next? We’re five per cent up on our projections, footfall is growing and we’re going online on 1 September – our first birthday. Motto Honesty, hard work and good instincts never let you down.

sandersonsdeptstore.co.uk

As a mother you take on so many roles it made me believe I can tackle anything