The Leader Interview..with Liam Dwan, of Brown Thomas
LIAM Dwan is a Tipperary man flying the Limerick flag as he stands at the helm of the city's premier store, Brown Thomas.
The department store at the heart of the city ensures that Limerick women - whom Liam describes as the most stylish in the country - always put their best foot forward.
And the general manager of Brown Thomas wants the business people of Limerick to follow in their fashionable footsteps, by proudly and confidently displaying the city at its best.
"When will we see him in the Leader?" a friendly member of staff asks, while her boss poses for photographs among the designer labels on Monday afternoon. "Ah, he's very nice. He'll chat away to you," she assures.
She was right. Liam sits behind his desk in his office which overlooks William Street and talks as enthusiastically about the city's business potential in a well-tailored suit, as he would talk hurling in a Tipperary jersey.
Liam boasts an impressive hurling history but plays down his role as a member of the Tipperary minor panel during the GAA's centenary year. Probably because they were beaten by Limerick in the Munster final in 1984, but I wasn't inclined to remind him of this defeat for more recent reasons.
Born to parents Anne and John, Liam grew up with one brother and two sisters in Templederry, Nenagh. He went to secondary school at Templemore CBS and pursued a brief career in carpentry for four years before entering the world of retail with Dunnes Stores.
Following 15 successful years with Dunnes, based in local stores, including Jetland, Sarsfield Street, Harvey's Quay and Ennis, he took up a regional position with Heatons.
Liam, who is now in his early forties, accepted the position as general manager of Brown Thomas in November 2004. "It's the premier store in the region, so I said 'absolutely'. It's the place to be."
Liam enjoys a happy family life with his wife Siobhan and daughters Eimear, 13, and Ciara, 10, in Dolla, Tipperary.
He laughs heartily at his recent selection as one of Limerick's sexiest men in the Limerick Leader's sister paper The Limerick Chronicle last month. "How did I feel about it? Well as a Tipperary man obviously I was very chuffed," he smiled, "and I was glad to be on two weeks' holidays while it was all going on."
This week marks the 50th anniversary of a fire that altered the landscape of Limerick city when it destroyed William Todd & Co, the landmark building where Brown Thomas now stands.
The architecture of the original building was far more beautiful than the building now occupied by Brown Thomas.
"Former staff recall the fire, and they still drop by," he said. "It was a terrible loss, especially when you think that Limerick lost Cannock's to a fire as well, just across the road."
Nowadays, Brown Thomas, can only be described as the city centre's flagship store, and despite the exclusivity that it already offers, the general manager is anxious to improve customer service, and showcase products in the best possible way.
He had just come out of a meeting with staff where they discussed the level of service and sales detail before our interview began. "Each week we look at how we do things and how we can do things better. We look at how we can re-energize it for the next season, the next year."
"From the minute they (customers) come in the door to the minute they leave, what was their shopping experience?
"The only thing I can really control is what goes on in this store. If everybody else did that, we may be a whole lot better off than we are today.
"It's up to me as the general manager in here to make it happen. And the team are working to a common goal and we are as supportive of each other as we possibly can be.
"That's about the size of it," he surmises. "That's it in a nutshell."
Brown Thomas is not immune to the recession and actively made changes to ensure the continued support of their loyal customers. Liam acknowledges that retailers cannot simply stand at the till anymore. They must work hard to attract business to their shops and to the city.
As well as running the O'Connell Street store, Liam is chairperson of a Chamber-led business group who facilitate ideas and initiatives in an effort to improve the city's appearance and image, making it a more attractive shopping location for customers and interested business people alike.
Some retailers have been quick to blame Limerick City Council for the plight of the city centre, but Liam does not buy into that criticism.
"The traders themselves, in every facet of life in the city, from retail to services, need to be accountable as well, and see what they can do for themselves. The city council can't be everything to everyone," he said.
"I think people need to take on a positive attitude. Everyone is very quick to want someone else to do something for them. People should stand up and take responsibility for themselves, make a change themselves by looking at their own premises.
"It isn't by accident that places are as they are. They haven't taken care of their shop fronts. They haven't bothered to sweep up outside their front door. If they did all that, then we would have, in my view, a city that looks clean.
"The place should look immaculate at all times. People must come in and see a vibrant city centre."
He rubbished parking complaints, and the expectation that parking should be free, citing the 6,000 spaces available in private car parks.
"It is very small-minded to say parking is an issue. For a fiver or less, you can park anywhere for three hours in the city, now that shouldn't be stopping people coming to town for the city experience.
"If you go to any city in Europe, you won't be able to just park your car on the street for free and walk away."
He acknowledged that shoppers need a reason to come to town and that they feel disenchanted by the number of vacant premises on the city's main thoroughfare. Brown Thomas, he said, would welcome more competition from other department stores, and would particularly love to see Marks & Spencer open a store in the city centre.
There is exceptional value for new businesses who want to rent a city centre property, and Liam believes there is plenty of room for the establishment of properly run stores in the coming months and years ahead.
Limerick City Council, he said, however, need to improve communications with rates payers and properly inform them of how their money is spent.
"They are doing a lot but they don't tell people what they are doing. People want to know what they are paying rates for. Perhaps they should send out a letter to business people and say this is where the rates are going."
He wants the same attention to detail from the local authority, and service, that he provides Brown Thomas customers. "They pay decent money, they want the real deal and rightly so."
That must be the reason why BT customers are so loyal to the Limerick store. A team from Limerick is sent to Dublin to handpick garments for shoppers who know what they want and are not afraid to ask for it.
"Women from Limerick and the hinterland are some of the most stylish in the country. That is well documented.
"We even see in our designer area, the demand for our high end product is greater than in Cork and even proportionately in Dublin. Our business in that area is exceptional," he said.
Sport provides Liam with a release from the stress of work.
He plays tennis and golf. "I used to hurl but I'm getting too slow."
"I like simple things to be honest, I like going for walks and I'm happy outside playing ball with my children.
"When you are involved all day with people, I like the peace and quiet of open spaces."
There will be no peace and quiet in the open space that is the cauldron of Croke Park on the first Sunday in September where Liam hopes to watch Tipperary conquer the Cats from Kilkenny.
He expects good sportsmanship in business and in sport. "Everyone for once in their life will be supporting Tipperary."
I remind him that the people of Limerick will support the senior hurlers of Tipperary for one day only. "Oh, I'm well aware of that," he laughs.
Personal File
Favourite food - A nice fillet steak, garlic spuds and veg.
Favourite book - 'Beyond the Tunnel' - the autobiography by former Tipperary hurler, Nicky English.
Favourite film - Gladiator
Favourite holiday destination - Doonbeg, County Clare.
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Monday 21 May 2012
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