Store of the Month November 2023: BJs Mode

“We are like a small department store” – says Bettan, the owner of the Store of the Month BJs Mode, which we find on 340 square meters in central Linköping. In the small department store there are clothes for both parties and everyday life, perfume, skin care and a small men’s department. The staff has expertise in each area, which is something that is extra fun to be able to offer customers. Read the full interview below!

Tell us about BJs Mode, how did it all start?
I have always worked and had an interest in fashion and clothes, I am a trained tailor and have had my own atelier for 10 years. I ran the atelier half time and worked in my husband’s office the rest of the time. It worked well but I felt that I was missing the customer contact,  so I applied to what is now BJs fashion, to start working in the store.  After being employed for 11 years, I was presented with the opportunity to buy out the women’s department in the store, which would have closed down otherwise. Me and my husband Johan that opportunity and started BJs Mode in March 2012. BJs Mode stands for Bettan and Johan. Since then, I have purchased new brands but also kept many that were sold before I took over. I consciously work to adapt my range to my customer group.

In the store, the customer will find several different exciting brands, what kind of strategy do you have when it comes to your assortment?
My strategy when it comes to the assortment is that it should be varied. I want my customers to find brands and garments that are suitable for both everyday life and parties. My vision is that three generations should have the opportunity to shop at BJs, I have my own family in mind there. Clothes for my daughters at the age of 45, me at the age of 65 and my mother at the age of 90 should all be able to shop at the store, and it is with that mindset that I make the purchases. At our store, the customers can also find swimwear, skin care and perfume, we are like a small department store. My staff have t backgrounds in different areas so it’s perfect to tap into their expertise.

What would you say is your biggest recipe for success?
That we are a store with personal service, we always put the customer in focus and work actively to give the customer the help and experience they require, which is sometimes a lot and sometimes it is just saying hello. The staff work very well together as a team and the customers notice it, the store is a meeting place with a lot of joy. The brands that we have in the store are of high quality and we are the only ones selling many of them in the local area.

How do you work with the customer flow to your store?
Our strong customer club and returning customers are a large part of our customer flow, and these are relationships that we cherish. We don’t have a webshop but instead work a lot with Instagram and Facebook where we reach our target group and can create customer flows. Then, we also organize many events each season, such as fashion shows and mingling evenings in the store and  at various associations around Linköping.

What do you think the shop of the future will look like?
I believe and hope that the stores of the future will offer personal service, the customers’ need for this is something we have all noticed since the pandemic ended. We will continue to work with relationship building and with personal shopping in the future, because it is something that we really believe in!