8 | Alex Campbell’s Menswear T T Russell Fredric A long and successful legacy… “We pride ourselves on a high level of service and we try and go the extra mile.” REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT The team, from left, Tania Hartley, Lindsay Campbell and branch manager Jane McCauley. Until recently, Alex Campbell’s Menswear owner Lindsay Campbell thought the business had achieved 135 years’ trading but was pleasantly surprised to find he was nearly a decade short. “Having done a bit of research, the business was established in Riverton in 1881. That was quite exciting because 144 years is six years away from a real milestone, 150 years.” The company was started by Lindsay’s great-grandfather, Samuel Campbell, as a draper store, and moved to Caversham, Dunedin, around 1900. It then traded as Campbell Brothers in Princess Street and also built a second store in King Edward Street. Until recently this was the Wolfenden and Russell building, which was demolished, with the site now boasting the recently completed South Dunedin Community Library. This business foundered during the Great Depression, but Lindsay’s grandfather Alex resurrected it as Alex Campbell’s Menswear on Cargill’s Corner in 1937. Lindsay’s father, Lex, worked at Alex Campbell’s Menswear straight from school and was running it within a few short years, with Lindsays’ brother, Donald, and another partner, Allan Ward, subsequently joining, with the business moving to its current premises in 1967 just before decimal currency. “I remember [us] shifting all the stock into the building where we are now, [187 King Edward Street] which was called London Mantles which sold women’s dress coats. It was formerly a factory and showroom; I was 10 years old.” Lindsay initially started working for Alex Campbell’s Menswear during school and university holidays straight from school. “It was a very busy time. It was probably the peak of the heyday of menswear in the country. The ‘50s, ‘60s and early ‘70s were a very prosperous period in the nation.” While there was also a lot of competition, people were spending considerably more of their discretionary dollars on clothing, Lindsay says. “It would be one of the biggest changes in my lifetime; the percentage of menswear discretionary dollars was plummeting probably from the mid ‘70s through till recently where it’s probably rebounded slightly.” The business consolidated from three stores in 2000 to one, and after Lindsay bought the business outright in 2005 he has gradually added more stores. Alex Campbell’s Menswear now has premises in South Dunedin and Mosgiel, with South Dunedin managed by Lindsay’s nephew, Bevan Campbell, the fifth generation in the business. The “very bold move” to expand into Cromwell 10 years ago and Oamaru in May last year was the result of Lindsay seeing an opportunity due to good population growth in both towns and a gap in the market. He concedes it has not been easy to survive through the many economic cycles and retail trends, however the business has been surprisingly resilient over the decades, especially considering the demise of several department stores and national menswear chains. Alex Campbell’s Menswear employs 12 staff across all its stores and is well-known for its comprehensive range of quality clothing and competitive pricing based on a dynamic marketing strategy that includes wallet-friendly promotions and sales. Alex Campbell’s Menswear’s high level of service has been noted in feedback on its Facebook page, and is something Lindsay believes has contributed to its longevity. “We pride ourselves on a high level of service and we try and go the extra mile.” One of the first things Linday instils in his staff is “we are there to make customers, not sales”. “Sales will come when you give your customers trust and you give them great service backed by a good product and good value.” After a working lifetime in the business, Lindsay reflects on what he enjoys the most. This includes great times with staff, the “cut and thrust” of dealing with suppliers and customers, who in some cases cover generations of families, as well as the creative process of dreaming up sales and promotions. SOUTH DUNEDIN | MOSGIEL | CROMWELL | OAMARU AVAILABLE ALL FOUR STORES C AM P B E L L S C E L E B R A T I N G 1 4 4 Y E A R S QUALITY FASHIONS AND EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS WITH BRANDS FROM AROUND THE WORLD THAT YOU KNOW AND TRUST
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