Store of the month July 2024: Claire in Forshaga

When you step into the Claire fashion store in Forshaga, you immediately feel the warm and welcoming atmosphere. Run by Gunilla since 1 May 2020, this store has become a favorite for both locals and visitors from surrounding areas such as Karlstad.

Before Gunilla took over the shop, she worked in healthcare. However, fashion has always been close to her heart and she has always been interested in clothes. When the previous shop owner was about to retire, she took the opportunity to realise her dream of having a shop. 

What is most important to you when working with your suppliers?

For me, honesty and cooperation are the most important things in the relationship with my suppliers. In the beginning, it sometimes felt like some suppliers were trying to sell me goods I didn’t need. But today I have built strong and honest relationships with my suppliers. I have a particularly good working relationship with DK Company, which makes it easier to deal with unsold goods. 

What brands do you have in the store? 

We have a lot of brands and on the men’s side we have Berns Brant, Solid, Matinique, and Lily Schott. On the women’s side, I have the brands St Tropez, B.Young, Soya Concept, Street One, Cecil, Caramel, Cream and Mix by heart. When I select brands, I go more by feel than by following trends. Forshaga is a small community so you have to think about what the people who live here want. You should always have something that stands out, but not too much. 

What is the most important thing when dealing with customers? 

The most important thing is to always see the customer when they come in, to be present and to offer help is a given . We are a slightly smaller store as it is me and my two employees. So we work closely and are keen to give our customers the best possible service. 

Do you have anything you do as that little extra for the customer? 

We have started to have a sparkling wine evening in the store. We close the store and invite customers in to shop and mingle. On site, we offer snacks and bubbles, which is usually a very popular event. 

Another thing is that we let customers borrow garments to try on. We then write down the contact details of the customer and they can take clothes home with them so they don’t feel stressed about making a decision in the store. Many people appreciate that. 

Gunilla has managed to run her store even though she bought it just before the pandemic hit. It also shows that good relationships and her warm treatment have made the store stand firm. The clothes and fashion in the shop are also fantastic.