S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol.5 No.26, July 1, 2019

This Newsletter is sponsored by SAFLIA

2019 IS HALF WAY THROUGH! LET'S REDOUBLE OUR EFFORTS TO MAKE IT A REALLY GOOD YEAR!

Please note: Click on any ad to go to the advertiser’s website

Retail last week

Comment from 5 retailers on Saturday
"It's month end, so it's been a bit busier. More-or-less on par with last month, I'd say." - Zane Mitha, manager, Diski Sport Retailers, Tembisa, Gauteng, SA. Independent, 1 store, sports goods specialist.

"Nothing great. Much the same as last month. It looks like it will be a terrible year." - Ebrahim Docrat, member, Docrat's Vogue Look, Lenasia, Gauteng, SA. Independent, 3 stores, women's boutique.

"I can't complain. It's definitely better than last month. It's a tough year, but it's picked up quite nicely. I guess it's because there are a lot of weddings and matric dances at this time of year, and the July is coming up." - Zaheer Maiter, member, Dominion Outfitters, Durban, KZN, SA. Independent, 1 store, men's outfitter.

"The centre is very quiet, but we have additional ways of bringing people into the store. It's end of month, average." - Donieta Herr, member, Don Marco, Port Elizabeth, E Cape, SA. Independent, 3 stores and online, women's boutique.

"I've been in business for 30 years, and the last 2 have been the worst. There's no direction in our buy, no brands are doing particularly well, and people don't want to spend. Today the weather is beautiful, and people would rather do something outdoors than come here to buy boots. In general, we all need to do things differently." - Farouk Mahomed, member, Don Milano, Benoni, Gauteng, SA. Independent, 1 store, men's outfitter.

'Corbeau is not closing'

Cape Town, W Cape, SA – Rumours that exotic leather goods manufacturer Corbeau cc has become the latest Cape Town factory to close are incorrect, member Llewellyn Whitfield wrote on Friday.
       "Corbeau is busy repositioning the company within the Ostrich and Croc leather goods supply industry. At this stage I can confirm that the format of the company is definitely undergoing structural changes but certainly not disappearing. Until the repositioning is complete I will not be able to give more detail of the new business format. Corbeau is always contactable on 083 628 0300."

Movements

Cape Town, W Cape, SA – Former Bolton Footwear sales development manager Jody Henry has left Bolton Footwear to join The Basic Group.
       Bolton group sales & creative executive Stuart Hopwood said no-one had taken over his specific portfolio as it had been restructured. The Jordan and Renegade brands are now part of Marc Lailvaux's portfolio while Anton Fabi is now part of the men's formal portfolio.

Durban, KZN, SA – Hayley Roberts, former brand merchant for ladies' and girls' footwear at Mr Price, has joined Labora Shoes as a designer for its women's fashion brands Flourish and ICHUME, aimed at the general retail market.

SAFLIA AGM to remain in KZN

Durban, KZN, SA – The SAFLIA AGM and dinner will be held at Zimbali, north of Durban, on August 6. This is the same venue as last year.
       "Traditionally, SAFLIA has rotated its AGMs between KZN and the Western Cape," executive director Jirka Vymetal said. "However, since there are now far more manufacturers in KZN, it makes much more logistical sense for the foreseeable future to hold our AGMs here to allow for a bigger turnout."
       The SAFLIA management committee will meet in the morning, followed by the closed AGM, an open session, and the dinner for invited guests and partners. Invitations will be sent out shortly.

They Said It

"I am busy with the next article. I was going to work on it yesterday, but had to help my daughter at the SPCA catch and transport an injured donkey which ended up wasting a lot of my time yesterday. I will try to finish it by later today." - Dr Clive Jackson-Moss, head of the International School of Tanning & Technology in Grahamstown, E Cape, SA, who writes a column for S&V African Leather. With an excuse like that, how could I be upset?

"I read the many comments on the retail trade and it seems everything or nothing is just going right...The bottom line....people just don't have the money to purchase..purchasing power per household  has decreased tremendously  in view of the high employment rate...
The cost of transportation to come to the CBD is a killer hence we are losing that clientele..  the streets are almost deserted. Up to the 15th June it was just less than fair AND then the bottom just fell off...This could be my worst June in almost 30years... Currently I have a sale on the go with prices reduced to between 25 to 35 percent  but HELL..  there is no money..so these sales dont help either and to crown my frustration  along  comes the LANDLORD.... not the LORD OF MERCIES  BUT THE LORD OF  MISERY to further compound things...up goes the rent  despite incessant protestations... I dreamt that a BLACK  DOG in my sphere at the moment and that reality has just occurred....IS THERE A WITCH DOCTOR SOMEWHERE 😀😀😉
 HELP I AM  DROWNING!!!" - Ahmed Sibda, proprietor, City Fashions, Benoni, Gauteng, SA.

S&V Directory - Order now

The directory is ready. On sale for R450. The online version is also available at R450 for 12 months' access.

2019 Trade Fairs Another essential service from S&V

Please note that we have put a list of the 2019 trade fairs and conferences on our website, linked to their websites: http://www.svmag.co.za/events

Exchange rates

Source: http://www.x-rates.com/calculator/

ABSA Agri Trends 28/06: Hides & skins prices

Bovine hides R1.66/kg. NB* Hide prices are determined by the average of the RMAA (Red Meat Abattoir Association) and independent companies.

01/07/1953: Bobby Janky, retired, formerly Michelle Footwear, Durban.
01/07/1963: Tommy Sharma, Bata SA, Pinetown.
02/07/1949: Maria Augusta Craveiro, Goosie’s, Ladybrand.
02/07/1959: Leo Greef, formerly Southern Hemisphere Trading Trust, Uitenhage.
02/07/1971: Rajeev Matai, Mantella Q Leather, Pinetown.
02/07/1971: Suritha Naicker, Ethekwini Leather, Durban.
03/07/1971: Steven Coetser, Safety Smart, Pinetown.
03/07/1949: Pieter Coetzee, Assegaay Bosch Ranch, Van Wyksdorp.
04/07/1952: Eddie Lahee, Shoeperama, Durban.
04/07/1956: Warren Wareing, Island Style, Durban.
04/07/1967: Martin MacGregor, Bay Solutions, Port Elizabeth.
05/07/1941: Judy Powell, retired, formerly Footwork, Trafalgar.
06/07/1974: Gary Gilder, Bolton Footwear, Cape Town.
07/07/1955: John Kotze, Designer Marketing Int. Johannesburg.
07/07/1959: Lenette van Vuuren, Incredible Shoes, Ladysmith.
07/07/1965: Anil Rupnarain, Michelle Footwear, Durban.

In Memoriam this week

01/07/2016: Matthew Barnard (b. 07/05/1936), Stanhope Boot & Shoe, Pinetown.
02/07/1997: Clemente Villani, Villani Shoes, Johannesburg.
02/07/2010: Justin McCarthy (b. 29/01/1958), Groundcover, Curry’s Post.
04/07/2010: Kasieprasad Pattundeen (b. 29/12/1924), Palm Footwear, Durban.
05/07/1999: Norman Berrill, freelance designer, Durban.
06/07/1996: Eric Waterworth, King Tanning Company [closed], Pietermaritzburg.
07/07/1993: Rob Scallan, Tuftex, Port Elizabeth.

Have you let us know about your birthday, or the birthdays of your colleagues? Our readers love this section, so please become part of it. This also applies to the In Memoriam section. Help us remember former colleagues.

Have a look at these links

We invite businesses to send us links to websites, Facebook pages and the like which they feel would be of interest to others. The links below are from our database:
Babalegi Workwear, PPE seller, Pretoria, Gauteng, SA.: http://www.belegi.co.za/
Bachelors Classic, men's boutique, Umlanga, KZN, SA: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Clothing- Store/Bachelors-Classic-1249052545142042/

Contact us

News & Classifieds: Tony Dickson, +27 (0)31 209 7505, tony@svmag.co.za

Next newsletter: July 8, 2019.

SAFLIA enquiries: Tel 0800SAFLIA * Email info@saflia.co.za * Website http://www.saflia.co.za

Should you wish to subscribe email tony@svmag.co.za
Our website www.svmag.co.za