Watching the way Gillian Franks glides across the shop floor, cheerily chatting with customers about one of the 65 brands on offer, she seems to be completely in her element.
It’s not that long, however, since she was working long hours in Leeds in the profession she had originally trained in: building surveyor.
The birth of her daughter seven years ago brought a change of outlook – and with it, a change of career.
The result was Pixie, which after recently celebrating its fifth birthday is now established as a firm favourite in Hale, and one of the high street’s most successful independents.
“When you have children your priorities change,” says Gillian. “Surveying wasn’t for me, and I just wanted to do something completely different that let me enjoy time with my daughter, do the school run and still have a business locally.”
Originally setting out to be a childrenswear shop, Pixie is now so much more. As Gillian says, it’s quite literally a “one-stop shop” for mums and dads: as well as the extensive range of boys and girls’ clothes and footwear to suit all ages, there is a choice range of designer women’s wear, a delightful selection of mostly wooden toys, as well as gifts, cards and other party accessories.
“What we’ve found is that people will come in for the party gift, but will see something else for themselves or the children,” she says.
“We try to look for individual uniqueness with all our stock. With toys, we go for wooden – it lasts and looks better, like Djeco. Price-wise, we hope to have something for everybody, whether you just want to spend under £10 or something more.”
One thing that particularly sets Pixie apart from others is its willingness to listen to customers.
“We really do,” adds Gillian. “If someone keeps mentioning something, we will look into it and see if it fits us as a shop.”
What you suspect, however, is that Pixie will have something to tempt most customers.
Pixie – two doors along from Costa Coffee – bursts with on-trend brands, from Scotch RBelle and Scotch Shrunk for kids to Noa Noa and Yoga Leggs for mums. Even as we’re talking, one customer is so delighted with her Yoga Leggs purchase she actually walks out of the shop wearing them.
And Pixie’s fashion expertise has not gone unnoticed – in 2015 it picked up a nomination from the prestigious Drapers retail awards for the second year running.
Hailing from Berkshire but now based with her husband and daughter in Hale, Gillian has never been busier.
“I always say we may look like swans on a lake, but our legs are going 10 to the dozen,” she jokes.
The spring and summer stock is already in and Easter, one of the most important times of the year for the shop, is approaching fast and Gillian is prepared with a plethora of Easter gift ideas and Spring outfit suggestions.
A second shop could be on the cards, but a number of initiatives – the free gift-wrapping and Click+Collect service, the play table for mini customers or the fulsome support for local children’s charities – reminds you that Pixie is very much an independent, and a very fine one at that.
Pixie is located on Ashley Road in Hale village. Visit Pixie online at http://pixiechildrenswear.co.uk/
