Lou Melotte - Mujer (Barcelona)
Why did you decide to set up Mujer?
The concept already existed 2 years before the shop opened a year ago. when i first came to Barcelona with my 4 month old son I found that there weren’t many mothers groups, activities or funky clothes and natural products for babies, so i set about setting up mothers meets at home, then we started doing some music sessions there, then I started an ‘artesano’ fair in the born area where i set up my babyboogieloo stall with rock n roll’ tees and some other bits and bobs that I now sell in the shop.
Also I had come from a career in TV production and felt without the language I couldn’t go back to that. I didn’t have many job options, I had some collateral so was happier setting up on my own than having to be a waitress or an english teacher god forbid!!
How is the business going?
I cant say its going really well financially yet, some days are very quiet but i gave myself a 2 year plan like most new businesses do. There’s been plenty of times that I’ve lost money and have so little time with my family that I’ve wanted to throw the towel in but that would be throwing more money away and a lot of hard work which I hope will be rewarded some day! The shops a limbo area, carefully chosen for the space and the barrio which is up and coming in ‘la ribera’ as I wouldn’t have been able to afford the commercial centre in the gothic or the designer born, and this lies between the two. Having had my stall around the corner, I had had my eye on the site for a while and the road has and is changing drastically, there's more footfall now especially with tourists and less 'ladrones`! It has had a follow-on effect with lots more funky shops and bars opening. Mujer certainly attracts peoples attention as its so colourful and everyones very positive about it, especially all the wonderful mums who come in and use the facitilites and information. I know that to assist in my sales I need to advertise more.
Who are your main customers?
A huge mix, of course lots of mums and pregnant women, but men too who need a little more guidance in buying. I have a huge clientele of expat mums here who not only come into buy but to use the space upstairs for the meetings, activities and info. Theres less Catalans sadly who use that space as they seem to be the first to go back to work after their pitiful 4 months maternity leave! It’s quite exciting that I now have a mailing list of 300 women from all over the world. I’ve lots of people in the barrio, lovely loyal customers who buy all their gifts here and luckily tourists passing by. It’s a very sociable place and I’ve made so many new friends sometimes it keeps me from working!!!
What are your most popular products?
Inch blue leather shoes, my rock 'n' roll tees by far as they’re so fun and aimed at adults particular music tastes (the rolling stones sells most!) Stardust kids funky clothes & accessories, Kamba kids from Burkina faso and the kari-me slings are flying off the shelves.The organic cosmetics and reusable nappies are the slowest to sell, that takes time to change people’s concepts as they are also pricier than normal.
Where do you source your products from?
When I set the shop up I had the trendy mother and baby boutiques in London & Brighton in mind so I already had brands that I wanted to sell. The rock 'n' roll tees are mine and my printing partners so a lot of the designs are my ideas, Stardust are old friends, the leather shoes I'd known for years and inch blue was the prettiest brand I'd found all handmade by fairies in Wales!! The organic cosmetics I'd been using on my son, the best ever is Burts Bees from Canada/Earth Mama baby angel from USA. Kari Me was number one in UK. I researched for a year on the internet before I opened the shop, but most are from the UK, some come as far as Argentina, India, Africa, Bolivia and Australia. I recently bought an American brand but was ‘shocked’ at the import tax so that wont be happening too often! And lots of my wares are handmade by wonderful women, another concept of MUJER was that I would promote crafts made by…. mujeres.
What have you discovered about Catalan mothers’ tastes since opening the shop?
They’re the same as ours, some ex-pats just like the Catalans are very traditional and want their little girls in pink flowery dresses, but some are well traveled or very trendy and so have seen ‘foreign’ babies in their leather orphapedic shoes and funky printed tops or are old skool punks/rockers/mods and want the same for their children. I couldn’t understand how Barcelona being so stylish and had different genres of fashion that there was not funkier kids clothes, that now of course is changing rapidly but there all still mainly imports. Southern Europe has always had more of a classic look for children. However I like to have a nice mix so someone more traditional can still have some pink ….or else you can have a black pirate skull. I wouldn’t want to be too specific as that would be targeting only one market, besides I like too many styles.
The one thing I have noticed at times with catalan or other latinos is the lack of knowledge through no fault of their own into for example not putting cologne on newborn babies or using alcohol wet wipes, just old traditions like ear piercing! Also they’re really strict about sizes and putting a short sleeve top on in winter! Most of my sizes are 0-6 months and if it’s a newborn they think it's too big, I tell them they’ll grow or to put a jacket on to cover short sleeves when cold like in UK!!
Has the ethos of Mujer changed from what you first envisaged?
No it’s the same, that’s why finding this space was so important, it all happened much faster than I'd originally planned as I couldn’t risk losing the shop that would enable me to have the mother and baby chill out space as well as the shop floor.
More than a shop it was always the concept of being a service for women to be informed of what's on offer here in Barcelona for mothers. I’m a huge advocate of natural birthing and breastfeeding and couldn’t find all that information in one place. Also it was always to support ‘other women’, In the beginning I sold a lot of handicrafts from bishopstone trading, a women's village in India, I have cards from tsunami orphans in Sri lLnka, Kambakids is handmade in Burkina faso, I have a granny from Poland knitting booties and then lots of my own female customer/friends handicrafts. I never wanted anything too commercial or unethical…and we never use plastic bags!
Most of all it was to have a space women could go to meet up, shop while their kids played, change nappies or feed without having to do it on a park bench or in a smokey café!
Aside from mother and baby products, what else does Mujer offer?
I rent out TENS machines which allieviate pain in childbirth, I have art exhibitions, sell ‘English and me’ books in English and French (plus storytelling). We also have a foreign book exchange in the chill out lounge where we have yummy mummys meets, baby massage courses, ‘babyboogieloo’ sing and sign classes for babies, ‘funky monkey’ action songs for toddlers, monthly talks on child/womens issues., Bach flower remedies clinic and an array of information flyers/ mags/ reference books to browse re: childhood/ mum and kids services….sometimes the baby play space (lots of toys on offer) is a guarderia!! The space can also be rented out to any woman who needs it.
- What are your goals for the next year?
- More money please!! A website so I can sell my tees to everyone in spain, more time off especially to focus on my own boy (and to try to have another one!!), more focus on the brands I represent here like my tees , Stardust and Kari-me that are available for wholesale in Spain. I would also love to work on a line of clothing
A well womens clinic based on ‘alternative’ ways to help women and children like homeopathy, herbiology, nutrition etc.
Some Spanish or catalan classes for ex-pats and some English classes for Catalan adults and kids. I need to work on mine, its shameful!
- What were the main challenges you faced setting up your business?
The language barrier is the most and is still, especially when I get official papers to deal with. And if I could pick up the phone and advertise my shop more to the media then I would but it’s very difficult, having come from that background and having the gift of the gab its frustrating not being able to publicise myself more within the Catalan community. I email my mailing list in appalling written Spanish!
Thankfully an amazing help came from another ex-pat who had set up her biz 10 years ago and she gave me advice re: what I needed officially and her accountants name, he is amazing and set everything up. And I find cheaper than my accountant in the UK. Also the finca could have taken me for a real ride had I not have a wily lawyer (again a friend), I stood my ground and offered them half the traspasso on the grounds that I would pay them 6 months cash in advance, the local had been empty for nearly a year so that was an advantage, but I did have a contender which was yet another ‘locoturio’ they definitely liked my idea more and knew I would stay longer and add to the shops future value.
Everything was set up in 6 weeks, amazingly it wasn’t as stressful as I thought and I could never have set up a biz in the UK for the money that I put into mujer, the stress came after when I realized I was working 6 days a week with a 2 year old! And at Christmas having spent a lot on stock and everyone went to the centre to shop, the street was dead and I lost a lot of money!
- Would there be anything you would do differently if you did it all again?
Take much more time, budget more, organize the products rather than ordering too much stock not knowing what would sell well, have a business plan and consider having a likeminded partner for support and inspiration….and of course childcare first!
- How does running a business in Catalunya compare to running a business in the UK (if relevant)?
Not relevant…BUT I was in TV production and was less stressed dealing with producing a series, working 20 hour days with say 50 extras and 50 crew rather than running my own shop!!
- Do you think the system in Catalunya is sympathetic to entrepreneurs/the self-employed?
I have no idea because I never asked for any help even though I heard there was some organization that helped with businesses plans and loans. I think the freelance fee is a lot with trimester Tax and interest, I don’t remember paying as much in UK when freelance. I’ve only just discovered I can get some money back as a working mum but if your not local I don’t know how to find this kind of info out. I certainly feel the UK has more services for startup businesses or foreigners starting out here.
- What do you think the main advantages and disadvantages of running your own business are?
Advantage is no one to tell you what to do and more sense of pride especially if it’s successful.
Disadvantages outweigh advantages, as the responsibilty is huge, I can be worrying about it when I’m not there and if you take a sicky your paying for it! my partner works away a lot so I’ve had a real struggle with childcare and if I had my way it would be 9 to 5 , the 8’o’clock close plus siesta I hate!!
- What advice would you give to other women who are thinking of ‘going it alone’ in Catalunya?
Have emotional and professional support /advice. Research everything.
Get a lawyer and an accountant on board. Find the right place, research the other shops / businesses around and the area it’s in or the neighbours.
Don’t do anything that isn’t ‘legal’. Get help! I have only just got someone in the shop and I’m now enjoying some time off….bliss.
- How can people find you?
- Normally they hear me first! but if not it is MUJER on Carrer Carders 28, uptown Born between Santa Caterina mercat and Princesa. 08003
(April 2008)
