Jane Caldow – What it was like working there

Simon: Can you talk a little bit about what it was like working there?

Jane: I really enjoyed it. I mean I suppose Retail was in my blood. I worked in The Coffee Bean; I did Display one summer. I worked in The Coffee Bean. Not all at the same time of course (laughs) but one summer holidays I helped in the Display Department. I was about 17 I think, which I really enjoyed, and I used to help Saturdays in the holidays in The Coffee Bean and then I also in another year was in the Shoe Department, because you earned some money, which was great.

Simon: And did you receive the training on how to welcome people and …

Jane: Yes, I suppose it was probably then I was always working with the Staff but I … yes I sold quite a few pairs of shoes as I recall (laughs).

Simon: Because that’s one thing that people have spoken about is the attentiveness of the Staff.

Jane: Yes.

Simon: Not getting over involved, but they’re there when you need them and super tuned up on what the products were.

Jane: Yes, absolutely. And shoes, you’ve got to make sure that you fit before someone buys a pair of shoes, definitely. But yes, I enjoyed it, and The Coffee Bean was always terribly busy. I would help out on a Saturday on occasions. There were a couple of lovely ladies that I was there in The Coffee Bean with, and it was busy, busy, busy, yeah. And of course, in those days people still smoked so you would have the odd … there would be regular ladies who would come in and their table was their regular one. They’d all come in for their coffees and cakes.