A fashion savvy mother and daughter duo from Coleraine have turned their dream of owning their own ladies clothing boutique into a reality with the support of the Go For It Programme, in association with Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.
The Go For It Programme is part funded by Invest Northern Ireland and the European Regional Development Fund under the Investment for Growth & Jobs Northern Ireland (2014-2020) Programme.
Barbara and Jayne Allison launched Stable Lane Boutique in Coleraine town centre in August 2017 with the aim of bringing a fresh approach to ladies’ fashion by offering the latest trends in women’s fashion with an inventory of unique clothes by vibrant fashion designers around the world.
Daughter, Jayne, studied International Fashion Marketing at Glasgow Caledonian University And has worked in the retail fashion industry for over 12 years in a variety of roles including sales, buying, visual merchandising and personal shopper. Jayne’s mum, Barbara, is a keen follower of fashion and an experienced local businessperson, having ran a successful fitness business for over 10 years.
After a mother and daughter shopping trip in Coleraine town centre, Barbara and Jayne agreed there was a real gap in the local market for an independent ladies clothing boutique that offered something different than the typical high street fashion retailer.
They decided to sit down and develop their vision for opening their very own ladies clothing boutique and that’s when they turned to the Go For It Programme through Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council to help them transform their passion for fashion into a business.
Jayne Allison, co-owner of Stable Lane Boutique, said: “Fashion has been an obsession since I was very young, and I always knew I wanted to work in the retail fashion industry. I have had various roles from Saturday part time sales positions at high street fashion outlets, to visual merchandising and management roles with multinational fashion retailers.
“However, my dream has always been to one day open my very own fashion boutique that would allow me to express my own ideas on ladies’ fashion with unique styles and outfits that you wouldn’t typically find on the high street.
“It wasn’t until early 2017 on a family shopping trip in Coleraine that the idea really started to take shape. We realised that there weren’t any independent ladies’ fashion outlets in the area, only the usual big name high street stores that you find in every town and city across Northern Ireland.
“That’s when we decided to contact the Go For It Programme to see if we could turn my dream into a reality. We sat down with Linda Dixon from Causeway Enterprise Agency, who really helped us a lot. She guided us on the market research we needed to do to scope the viability of the business and then helped us to develop a robust business plan. It was this business plan that really propelled us to launch Stable Lane Boutique.
“We are celebrating our one-year anniversary at the end of August and we are going from strength to strength with a loyal customer base that’s growing all the time. The past 12 months has been such a whirlwind, but it has been amazing experience. I can now say that I’m the joint-owner of a ladies’ fashion boutique that delivers stylish, unique and affordable clothing.”
The Go For It programme is delivered free of charge by a team of experienced business mentors through Northern Ireland’s wide network of enterprise agencies. It provides expert advice and help with developing a robust business plan to help turn ideas into a commercial enterprise.
Linda Dixon, Go For It Business Advisor with Causeway Enterprise Agency on behalf of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council said; “Jayne and Barbara contacted the Go For It Programme with a clear idea for a business and the products they wanted to sell.
“They are both extremely passionate and it was up to us to channel this enthusiasm, not forgetting their outstanding knowledge on all things fashion, by helping them to develop a robust business plan that would give them the confidence to go out there and make it happen.
“I am delighted that Stable Lane Boutique is really flourishing. They have done a fantastic job creating a unique customer experience with a range of stunning clothing lines like nothing else in the area. I would recommend that any local women who haven’t popped into the boutique to give it a try – you won’t be disappointed.”
If you have a business idea you’d like to develop or if you are thinking about starting a business call 0800 027 0639 or visit: visit www.goforitni.com