Liberty Drums CEO Andrew Street reveals why he thinks the future is boutique and why retailers need to start getting more bespoke brands in store. How did the company begin and what’s your background in the industry? The company was registered as Liberty Drums in 2006. It was birthed from many previous years of playing drums as a child and then grew into the manufacture of what we see as Liberty drums today.
Has the demand for customised kits increased over the past few years?
The demand for custom, bespoke and boutique kits grows larger each year. There is an ever0increasing demand for something unique. Everyone wants that something that’s personal to them, and that something is boutique.
UK high streets have been struggling for some time now. Does this help or hinder boutique manufacturers who sell direct to customers?
No. As a boutique manufacturer we’ve grown the business around not relying on retailers to buy our stocks. However, it is key that the flow of manufacture to retailer grows and that retailers start buying boutique drum lines, which will bring increased footfall and an all-round healthy cycle.
Do you think boutique manufacturers are sufficiently supported in the UK dealer network?
No. We’ve been in business for 10 years banging on dealers doors, advertising in major magazines and even with awards of ‘best pro wood snare drum manufacturer in the world’, but the UK dealers just seem slow on the uptake. Only a small number of dealers in the UK see the potential and what drummers are looking for.
The future is boutique and it’s clearly growing globally. I can’t answer for retailers but we get bombarded with enquiries for boutique drums. We are bursting at the seams, so what we have done is re-launch our website www.libertydrums.comwith a more effective customer front end and dealer login to help benefit the cycle of business to business to consumer.
What are the key challenges for boutique manufacturers in the UK?
Being able to keep going. I have learned that it’s about consistency and growing brand confidence. After 10 years of being a boutique company we now have drums all round the globe and an ever-growing family roster of great names coming onboard. Great things take time.
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