Katja Lauche from Paul’s Boutique
"I just gravitate towards things that have been around forever."
What makes Paul's Boutique different from other shops?
The absolutely defining feature is that we ourselves have been here forever and know our customers so well.
A personal connection.
Exactly.
It sounds like your clientele is mostly made up of devoted regulars.
We have loyal customers who have been coming to us for 20 years. Paul's boutique has become an institution in Chemnitz and had a bit of a cult status in the early days. And over the years, our clientele have grown up with us.
It comes across as if you’ve developed in a very natural way.
That's true. Nevertheless, there is the challenge of dressing our long-standing clientele in such a way that they don't feel like they've been put in disquise or pigeonholed in any way. In the end, we’re all interchangeable. We don't need to talk about that. In addition, everything that’s available here can also be found on the internet. But bundled together like this, with this brand portfolio, we try to stand out in our own way.
Entire generations come out of here as a complete package, so to speak.
That' s our style and our aspiration. It’s simply grown over time.
What kind of products do you sell at Pauls?
Products that have a story to tell, like Red Wing Shoes. They have such a long tradition. Everything just fits: the leather comes from the United States, you can even have your shoes resoled. There's real sustainability and honest craftsmanship behind it all. And in my opinion, a story like that is exactly the kind of thing people love, identify with and relate to. So that closes the circle again. I just gravitate towards things that have been around forever.
Do you have the feeling that your customers know Rowac? Do they notice that you have stools and chairs in the shop window and salesroom?
It has this " I know it, I like it, I've always liked it, feels just right".
And that's exactly what your concept reflects, right?
I think this happens subconsciously - it's the same for all of us! Why do you go to a certain shop? There's just something about it that appeals to you.
This recognisability plays a big role.
We are already being asked a lot about the furniture. And not only from fanatics who know about it, but because Rowac appeals to many people aesthetically. At the end of the day, it' s still about selling clothes here though. But it's a good synergy.
