6 Lordship Lane (Lounged)

[Laura Tenison]

Thank you all for the attention. I am both flattered that you bother and intimidated by some of your reactions. As the founder and MD of JoJo Maman Bebe, I though you might like a few facts to gossip about.

1. We are an independent company and I live (relatively) locally, Sean. I launched the company 14 years ago as a mail order catalogue, with one part-time employee, who still works at JoJo. Our second employee and many subsequent employees have remained loyal and worked along side me to make JoJo what it is today.

2. We are not 'designer babywear' but we sell sensible, honestly made, good quality clothing for pregnant women, babies and children. Our prices are very reasonable considering we make in small quantities and do not mass-produce. Our cost prices are almost certainly about double that of the chain stores in our field, whose retail prices are not significantly different to ours. Very helpfull comparison images, Mark.

3. Our company name (thanks Joe for the 'obnoxious' comment), started off as JoJo, but due to public confusion we added the 'Maman and Bebe' to explain what we sell. Prior to launching JoJo I had worked in Brittany for 3 years and our design style is influenced by Breton nautical clothing. In case one or two of you (including James?) missed out on French lessons, Maman Bebe translates as Mother and Baby.

4. Our company ethos is to help our customers by placing our stores in local high streets which generally do not have enough dedicated stores of our type (hence we are not 'another pointless boutique'), and in many cases this adds to the regeneration of the area. We have come to East Dulwich after receiving persistent requests from local customers who did not want to buy mail order and are sensible enough not to want to put their toddlers in the car to drive to shopping centres.

5. We offer mostly cotton clothes, some of which is organic. We also offer a wide range of outerwear made from recycled fabrics. We design the collections in house and naturally can not be to everyone's taste, but we offer sweet clothes which allow babies and children to be just that, without being too 'middle England' or too 'tacky high fashion'. (Snorky -organic cottage sleepsuits are really comfy - you should try one.)

6. The company is run for the benefit of our employees, our brand building and our reputation. Whilst we have grown significantly since I started my first company with a ?3,000 loan from a brother (the banks would not support me) we are still very much a small company and hold on firmly to those values.

So I'm sorry, to bore those of you who have had enough of this subject and thank you to Siduhe for your encouragement (which business lunch did I sit next to you at?). Peckhamboy, you make good sense. Please dont linch me when you see me bicycle down to check on our builders and I'm very, very sorry I am not opening a Sushi Bar but we do offer a very tasty selection of organic baby food ...

[greynolds]

Thanks Laura for that brilliant response. Ignore the moaners and the cynics - my wife and I can't wait for you to open and I'm sure it'll be a roaring success.

[Scruffy Mummy]

I have to say that I agree that JoJo Bebe Maman sells a range of affordable well made clothes and other baby stuff - I bought my 2.5 a blue duffel coat there 2 years ago (it was alittle big for him at the time) for ?25 and he is still wearing it (it's abit short in the cuffs now but I think it will last this winter). I saw duffel coats in Booteki and Raisin for about ?85 - ?100 - for one year olds! I liked Raisin and really liked the managers and tried to support it but I just couldn't justify paying ?25 - ?30 upwards for a t-shirt for a one year old!! Same with Booteki - it's lovely but can't afford most of the stuff.

[JesusCappuccino]

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[Nero]

Laura,

Good for you. I like your style.

Nero

[catgirl]

Great reply Laura. I am certainly looking forward to buying maternity and baby clothes at a local shop for reasonable prices, without worrying that someone not much older than my daughter has made them. I think you'll do really well in east dulwich. To be honest, think most of the people getting their knickers in a twist over your arrival were just making assumptions from the name of the shop and experience of other overpriced baby clothes shops in the area and getting somewhat carried away by a general dislike of people with children. When do you hope to open?

[EDmummy]

Good for you Laura. I have been buying your clothes for over 6 years (pregnancy and for children). Love to see your range of clothes now go to slightly older sizes - my oldest is now 7 (although wearing 8yr old clothes - very tall)and youngest 2. Any change of expanding? I for one would support an older children's clothes range.

[Mellors]

Hurray for Laura!

As I said earlier I like the clothes, and found the maternity stuff fab. They are really decent quality, and last for ages, so well worth the money. I am looking forward to it opening, and am sure it will be a great success. I suspect half of those who are moaning have never bought something from there and probably don't even have kids.

Bring it on.

[Michael Palaeologus]

Welcome Laura.

Of course, one or two may be competitors.

[Dodo1]

No chance of giving local a discount for the 1st month?

[SeanMacGabhann]

What can I say - excellent post Laura and I applaud your even-handedness in the whole debate. I don't have children so am an unlikely customer but am genuinely impressed with your response

All the very best of luck in the area

[snorky]

Ethos

Organic

regeneration

recycled

benefit of employees

Well that a few boxes ticked. A nice bit of PR for your company.You have plenty of front I'll grant you that.

Pardon me for being cynical, but your statement reads like a flyer for war on want or one of thoses leafets crammed through the door by the Lithuanian clothes collectors.

Still, you will do well here - lots of victims aching to blow their lot.

Like your clothes, this doesnt wash.( I have no idea of this is true of course, but I had to end on a pun of some kind!)

I will expect a brick throgh my window in the next day or two - I live at 15 LL btw. You cant miss me.

[JOMCI1]

A very sweeping statement and extremely provacative statement by lolsyloz.. -

My family i actually from east dulwich ( as far back as the first world war) so I am not a new person to the area,

east dulwich was in a bad way 15 years ago, shops closing etc etc, surely its better to have successful businesses wanting to open in the area than having boarded up shops

its a shop opening up!!! get a life and get over it, worse things happen and whilst I agree there are some pretentious

people out there, buying baby clothes from a nice shop does not make one up ones rectum.

and by the way I am not superficial or a material person, just a normal person earning a living trying to bring up

two young girls the best I can and enjoying life, because as I have found out its very precious.

[JOMCI1]

did you pass english at school?

[Bellenden Belle]

Well done to Laura Tension for her response.

It's funny isn't it - I think the name JoJO Maman Bebe does make the shop sound very chi chi and pretentious. That's certainly what I thought when one arrived in my old stomping ground Chiswick (now is there a direct link between Chi-swick and chi chi?).

BUT - after such heated debate I visited the website and actually it seems incredibly reasonable. And while I myself don't have children a lot of my friends do and so I am looking forward to popping in to buy lots of pressies.

Definitely a welcome addition to Lordship Lane.

[snorky]

Thanks for the PM Laura, but please dont bother with any more.I have standards.

Im surprised you could be arsed to respond to what was a blatant goad.

Do what you want with your profits Laura - Charity contributions are an eay way to sleep at night - especially if its got positive tax implications for you.

YOu may fool some of the mugs in ED, but however you dress it up, your statement is mealy mouthed easily digestable toss.

In it for the money as supergrass once sang.

Never forget that.

[mightyroar]

O snorky get over yourself!

Where do you get your cash from anyway?

Perhaps it grows on a tree high high up on the moral high ground where you love to go walking so often?

[snorky]

I prefer "high horse"

[mightyroar]

i suppose it doesnt tire your legs so. Poor dear.

Anyway off topic, danger of lounging. Good post Laura. see you in the shop.

[citizenED]

Wow, that was a bit from Left Field! Reminded me of that scene in Notting Hill where Hugh Grant stands up to defend Julia Roberts when some oiky businessmen are discussing her in an obscene manner.

Thanks for the post Laura and many congratulations on the success of your business. Welcome to "the Strip". Sure your new shop will thrive.

citizen

[snorky]

I am waiting for someone to use " investing in the community" with relation to a shop in this thread.

then all the boxes will have been ticked.

anyone ?

[Administrator]

Lounged

[Keef]

Good on ya for replying Laura.

At the end of the day, you won't please evryone, but who cares, you're in an area where you will undoubtedly do great business, so good luck to you.

I do have to say I can't stand the name though (wouldn't go so far as to call it 'obnoxious' though, I just think it's a bit naf).

I personally would rather spend my money in the pub, but if Mrs Keef has her way (which of course she will), I'll be seeing you soon.

[capt_birdseye]

...unless your little swimmers have been affected by excessive alcohol consumption that is ;-)

[Keef]

Here's hoping! :)-D