50 - Sunday. N Nov. 22, 1992 ~ ~ North Shore News

THE PACIFIC Franchise Association honored The Petticoat Box’s Maria Cullen with the Franchisor

of the Year “Doing It Right Award’ in October.

N. Shore retailer takes
inside track on lingerie

CASHING IN on the underwear-as-outerwear trend and
a unique Old World approach to retailing has brought one
North Shore lingerie store owner both success and recogni-

tion for excellence in her field.

By offering her customers
“small indulgences” in an elegant
and friendly setting, Maria Cullen,
president of The Petticoat Box,
has been able to expand her retail
franchise operation at a time when
many more-established retailers
are struggling to stay afloat.

Cullen’s efforts were acknowl-
edged fast month when the
Pacific Franchise Association
presented her with the Franchisor
of the Year “Doing it Right
Award,”" for the test in the pro-
vince in design and implementa-
tion of a new franchise operation.

European flair and a focus on
customer service are the keys to
her success, insists Cullen as she
straightens an already imamaculate-
ly ardered rack of Italian and
French-made bodysuits at her
Park Royal North store.

In addition +o the carpcrate-
owned West Van location, which
Cullen opened in July 1991, there
are three franchise stores — at the
Eaton Centre in Metrotown, at
Guildford Town Centre, and a
new boutique at Pine Centre in
Prince George, just opened the

By Layne Christensen
Fashion Reporter

first of last month.

Sitting behind the counter at her
Victorian-inspired store, Cullen
discusses the birth of her winning
concept.

After coming to Vancouver
from Ireland four years ago,
along with her husband and
teenage son, she immediaieiy set
out (to find a job in retail **just te
see if it was any different from
back home."

And was it?

“Absolutely,’’ she says,  ex-
plaining that boutique owners and
salespeople have a much more el-
evated reputation overseas, where
they are considered professionals.

Year-round sales, inflated
prices and poor customer service
haven't done much to help the
current malaise in North Ameri-
can retailing, she continues.

“think Canadian retail has to
turn around, and they have to
give Cheir customers better service
and beter quality and be honest

NEWS photo Paul MeGrath

in their mark-ups.”’

True to her word, Cullen has
set up her stores on the European
model.

Imported lace bras, bustiers and
merrywidows are hung with mili-
taristic precision on tidy wall
racks, Fine silk penoir sets,
camisuies and terrycloth robes are
displayed on custom-made free-
standing units draped in peach
fabric.

The decor throughout is bright
and uncluttered in tones of mint
and peach, Details such as ban-
nister railings that lead up a step
to a private dressing room and a
homemade topiary tree at the
front entrance lend a sophisticated
air to the boutique.

The absence of gaudy sales
stickers is sefreshing, but are
prices actually lower than at other
lingerie stores?

“Yes,'? Cullen insists, ‘because
we doo't mark up to mark down
again.”*

As for customer service, Cullen
personaiiy trains every salesperson
and franchise store owner and
keeps clientele lists detailing cus-
tomer requests and personal
tastes.

Once quoted ia a local business
magazine as saying that most Ca-

See Cullen's page 31

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AMBER BOOKS
in conjunction with
@ Harper Collins Canada Ltd.
presents

An Evening with

Armistead

Maupin

Author of the Teles of the City
series, reading from his new novel

PAAYBE THE MOOH

Thursday, November 26
7:30-9:30 p.m.

Amber Bookshop
2460A Marine Drive, West Vancouver
Downstairs 926-1133
COMING EVENTS
SAT. NOV. 28 SAT. DEC. 12
OPEN HOUSE RAGING GRANNIES

10-5:30 2-3:30
FRI. DEC. 18 2:30-5:00 |
ANNE'S RETIREMENT PARTY |

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