Page 47 of The Summer Island Swap
Rick listened intently.
‘But I’d have thought Lee had enough to contend with back in England and would be happy to leave you to sort matters here.’
He put the laptop on the cushion next to him and sank back into the sofa. ‘Trouble is, that’s not the whole story… our family business… everything Gran and my granddad worked for…’
I raised an eyebrow.
‘Crocker & Crowley…’ He swallowed and held his head in his hands. ‘The business has almost gone bust, Sarah.’
‘What?’
‘That’s why, over recent years, we’ve had to close so many stores.’
‘But Crocker & Crowley is everyone’s go-to shop for kids’ shoes. And Amy and her colleagues swear by it for getting comfortable, long-lasting shoes.’
‘That’s the problem – we realised, too late, that we hadn’t moved with the times.’ He looked up. ‘We’ve lost our appeal to youngsters and, well, we just aren’t fashionable. Nowadays the choice and competition is vast and there’s the phenomenon of disposable fashion – designs that rapidly go from the catwalk to the high street and are only meant for what’s called a micro season.’
‘I suppose, these days, you can buy such cheap shoes from well-known clothes stores as well.’
‘Exactly. Shoes are more affordable than ever. For many customers now it’s the diversity and pricing of the product that counts above quality and longevity… Or it’s the opposite in that they want designer labels, the top sports brands – shoes like the ones their favourite celebrities are wearing. We’re kind of stuck in the middle. We still do well with small children but that income isn’t enough to carry the whole business.’
‘I’m so sorry to hear this.’ No wonder the success of Seagrass Conservation had become so important. ‘So that’s why you charge the volunteers so much to take part? To save the family business?’
He looked up and shook his head vehemently. ‘Good God, no. Absolutely not. Yes, some of the profits – there aren’t many – have been used to help with the rebuild of our house. Crocker & Crowley couldn’t afford to pay for that by itself. But every other penny is used for the project. People’s wages. Food. Accommodation. Veterinary bills. Our breeding programmes. Specialist animal feed… Lee was keen for how my plans meant restoring the island to its former glory because… truth is…’ His shoulders slumped. ‘We might have to sell this place.’
‘Oh no.’
‘I’m really hoping it doesn’t come to that – that we can turn the shoe business around. Because someone might buy Seagrass Island who’s only interested in having a luxurious pad for their free time – who isn’t invested in animal welfare. If they aren’t interested in wildlife then Seagrass Conservation will be dead in the water, along with my plans for what we are doing here to benefit the whole Caribbean region and for educating people about the challenges brought about by extreme weather, tourists and poachers…’
He sighed. ‘Being more optimistic, though, another reason we’ve used some of the project’s funds to rebuild is because if we do have to sell the island, we stand a much better chance of attracting a buyer – someone who might continue to run the conservation side – if there is accommodation with the wow factor that is ready to move into.’
‘That makes sense.’
‘Who knows how it will pan out, though…’
We sat in silence for a moment.
‘I don’t know about you but I need a shot of comfort. Milk and Coca Cola?’
I nodded.
Five minutes later he was back with two glasses. He leant over to the nest of sturdy mahogany tables, with carved animal feet, at his end of the sofa, dragged out the smallest and placed it in front of us. He put our drinks down and collapsed onto the sofa. I lifted mine and took a large mouthful. Delicious.
‘So Crocker & Crowley isn’t going to jump on the fast fashion bandwagon?’
‘No. At least my family and I agree on that – even Lee. It goes against everything the company stands for in terms of high-quality products that last. Plus there are the environmental issues. It wouldn’t sit well with us, as a family that also run a conservation project. People need to get back to a wear and repair mindset, instead of throwing items away at the first sign of deterioration. My gran, brother and parents may not want to save the world like I do…’ He gave a small smile. ‘But they’ve seen how the wildlife of the British Virgin Islands’ alone has changed over recent decades.’
‘I suppose youcouldjustify using some of the money from volunteers to inject cash into Crocker & Crowley – and then, in return, the company might be in a position to give back to Seagrass Conservation.’
Rick glugged back his drink. He put the empty glass down on the table and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. ‘Seagrass Conservation doesn’t earn nearly enough to make a difference. Crocker & Crowley has reached a crisis point and we can’t kid ourselves any longer that, somehow, trade will pick up. I feel as if I’ve let everyone down. Perhaps I should have stayed in England and like my brother and parents, focused on rebuilding the shoe business – and supported everyone there.’
‘Rick. No one can work miracles. It’s still early days. Once we get that website ship-shape bookings might great increase and—’
‘I don’t know… What if I have to abandon the whole thing? If we are forced to sell and the new owner isn’t interested in my mission? I’m worried about what will happen to the injured animals. Chatty. The turtle conservation… Crocker & Crowley, it’s in my DNA. What hurts my family hurts me. The only way of saving it might be for me to go back into the oil industry. The salaries there are more than generous for someone with my degree and experience.’ He turned to face me. ‘But I hated my old job.’
‘Apart from closing stores, what other measures are being taken?’
‘Firstly – and most importantly – we’ve tailored our ambition. Lots of retail companies have struggled due to the rise of internet shopping and we accept that. Our goal is to be able to simply maintain trading from our four top stores in London, Manchester, Newcastle and Bournemouth. Then we’ll expand the range within those shops. Introduce a slightly cheaper, more on trend line for young adults, yet still push our fitting service for children. We’d hire a marketing agency to help us refurbish the stores and modernise the whole brand – without alienating loyal customers.’ He bit his lip. ‘It won’t be pleasant. Staff will have to go, including some of our longest-serving designers. But we recognise the need to bring in fresh blood.’
