09/07/11 Designer retailer defying gloomy trend

An Aberdeen designer clothing chain said it had defied challenging conditions for retailers after reporting record turnover. 

Menswear business Signature said it had bucked the trend of tough trading in the city’s Union Street and forecast it would take in £2million by the end of the financial year to July 31. 

The retailer, which has two stores on the street, said turnover in the previous year was £1.8million. 

Owner Patrick Ritchie said Signature had “trounced” the current negative trend. 

“It’s finally some positive news for Union Street after seeing such a well established and much loved store as Bruce Millers closing down” 

“We don’t want to see any more closures like that,” he said. “We need to champion Union Street.” 

Mr Ritchie said the company had grown because it had attracted new brands and collections, adding: “For an independent store like Signature, at the mercy of bigger chains and shopping centres in the east end of the city, I feel very lucky that we have maintained our loyal customer base and added to it.” 

Mr Ritchie said the company, which employs 12 people, had set itself a target of increasing turnover by 5% in the coming year, and did not rule out opening a third outlet. He added: “There are no concrete plans for a Signature 3 just now, but I would never say never to opening another store in Aberdeen or elsewhere. It has been considered a couple of times, but for now we are concentrating on the two stores.”