S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol.6 No.07, February 17, 2020

This Newsletter is sponsored by SAFLIA

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

Retail so far this year

"In a word, it's been tough. Trading has been tough over the last 3 years, while rents and salaries keep going up. On the menswear side, we're not as seasonal and as subject to fashion as many other retailers. It's not strictly accurate, but we joke that our average customer buys Chinos, a blue shirt and size 9 brown shoes." - Mickey Walker, director menswear, McCullagh & Bothwell, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA. Independent, 3 stores, menswear and schoolwear.

"November and December helped us end off a tough year quite well. We hope that 2020 will be better, but so far there are lots of challenges with unemployment. However, people still need clothing and shoes." - Ismail Cassim, S.I. Cassim Family Outfitters, Somerset West, W Cape, SA. Independent, family outfitter, 1 store.

"Not that good. Load shedding played a big role, even in December. For the past few years, people have been saying 'it will get better next year', but it doesn't." - Zaid Paruk, manager, Paruks, Durban, KZN, SA. Independent, 1 store, men's outfitter.

Death notice

Port Shepstone, KZN, SA  – Michael Wakeling, former MD of Millana Shoes in Port Elizabeth and then Matchpoint Agencies in Johannesburg, died on Saturday aged 70, of cancer. An obituary will be carried in the March edition of S&V Footwear & Leather Goods.

They Said It

"I went to Sheppie High...just not too often." - David Boulanger, Little Leather Shop in Shelly Beach, on his school career, long, long ago. He's "pushing 70", but says proudly: "I still have a Jimi Hendrix ringtone on my phone." A very fine generation, the children of the 60s and 70s..

The 2020 S&V Directory - Order now

The 2020 edition of the S&V Directory is in production and will be available in January. The online version is available immediately at R450 for 12 months' access.

2020 Trade Fairs Another essential service from S&V

Please note that we have updated most 2020 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: Hides & skins prices

Hides: The local and global hide market remains under pressure. Chinese buying continues to be low amid the coronavirus outbreak. According to sources, most of the winter inputs from China have already arrived in SA before the outbreak, however the shipments that were scheduled after the Chinese New Year, remain an uncertainty. - Conce Moraba, agricultural economist, Absa group.

17/02/1950: Ian McDonald, retired, formerly Speciality Threads [closed], Amanzimtoti.
17/02/1960: Raju Dhaya, VJ’s Superstore, Humansdorp.
17/02/1966: Anton Sprake, agent, Windhoek, Namibia.
17/02/1977: Lara Campher, Chillisource, Durban.
18/02/1942: George Naicker, formerly Edcon, Johannesburg.
18/02/1944: Colin Marx, retired, formerly Tropelli [closed], Pinetown.
18/02/1956: Kevin Thompson, Leatherite International, Pretoria.
18/02/1957: Desmond Sutherland, Aviocean (Natal), Durban.
18/02/1977: Zahir Kader, Kaytex Belts, Pretoria.
19/02/1944: Bruno Tarasconi, formerly Bruno Original, now Etsang Dieta Primary Co-operative, Johannesburg.
19/02/1988: Joash Govender, Prisaan Footwear, Pinetown.
20/02/1959: Rashmi Kooverjee, Babu’s, Cape Town.
20/02/1969: Dada Segwe, Bontsho Bosweu Shop, Vryburg.
20/02/1973: Bridget Johnson, Bibbi Shoes, Johannesburg.
20/02/19??: Rakesh Ambaram, JFK Trading, Durban.
21/02/1975: Zubair Desai, Leather Loft, Stanger/KwaDukuza.
22/02/1967: Shabir Ahmed Moola, Moola’s Newcastle.
22/02/1970: Ebrahim Akoon, Urban Legends, Bloemfontein.
22/02/1982: Katherine Bischoff, Leatherband, Johannesburg.
23/02/1949: Jeff Burland, retired, formerly United Fram/Wayne Plastics, Johannesburg.

In Memoriam this week

17/02/2011: Basil Benjamin (b.27/08/1929), agent, Johannesburg.
18/02/2017: Harry Adams, (b. 24/02/xx), Finlam Textiles, Pinetown.
19/02/2015: Professor Dr Des Cooper (b. 14/04/1928), Leather Industries’ Research Institute (LIRI) [closed], Grahamstown.
20/02/2004: Barry Dowson (b. 1938), Barry Dowson Components [closed], Greytown.

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:
The New House of Busby, Germiston, Gauteng, SA. Branded distributor:
Bush & Bundu, Pietermaritzburg, KZN, SA. Outdoor retailer.

Contact us

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

Next newsletter: February 24, 2020.

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

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