5 Years - 5 Questions With Our Founders

It’s our fifth birthday! It's been five years since SUAVE OWL opened their first shop in Keynsham with a small selection of formalwear and a lot of determination.

The last five years have been full of both tremendous growth and challenges. In that time, we have moved location to central Bath, started stocking casualwear, created our own SUAVE OWL clothing brand, and won multiple awards. We are so proud to have a created a shop where any man can find something for him.

To commemorate the occasion, we asked SUAVE OWL founders Tony and Jessica some questions about the last five years. Here are their answers.

How has SUAVE OWL surprised you?

"I am surprised by how far we have come from so little. It really was just a ‘punt’, but one that had to work, therefore we made sure that happened. Here’s to another 5 years of surprise!" - Jessica

"We always knew that SUAVE OWL would work as a concept. I just wasn’t ready for the amount of people in need of a fuller size range, and a one stop shop for all their clothing needs." - Tony

What are you most proud of?

"I am most proud of us starting & growing our own brand. I love to spot somebody wearing our owl when I’m out and about. But mostly the feedback that we receive about our brand & the repeat customers that come back for more." - Jessica

"Building a business from the ground up with no experience, but just sheer determination. It has been very rewarding and we're very proud of what we have achieved in such a short time." - Tony

What advice would you give to yourself from five years ago?

"Don't be afraid or too proud to ask for help. One person (or 2 people) can’t have all the answers. Advice, experience, knowledge, from others is priceless." - Jessica 

 "The only thing I wish I had done sooner was move into Bath or a city centre. A strategic placement for our business in a high foot traffic area has helped massively. Being a destination shop in Keynsham was great to start with, and a lot cheaper, but never guaranteed people would arrive in the shop. Being in Bath has allowed people, who wouldn’t necessarily be looking for us, to find us, leading to more sales and more word of mouth." - Tony

What is next for SUAVE OWL? 

"We are hoping to grow further and open another shop soon. Our own brand has been so well received that we are looking into other independents stocking our shirts, t-shirts, polos… & maybe scaling internationally! But SUAVE OWL is definitely marked for a wider audience." - Jessica

"The only thing for SUAVE OWL now is to grow its own brand offerings in casual wear and suiting to become a household name in the UK. Also opening more stores allowing us to reach more people." - Tony

From the last 5 years, what has been your highlight? 

"Highlights have to be the awards that we have won. Most recently Bath Life Awards 2022 after relocating, and coming through the pandemic. But also the South West Wedding Awards 2019 just a year after opening our tiny shop in Keynsham. It’s wonderful to be recognised & it’s a reminder that all the hard work is paying off!" - Jessica

"Opening the store in Bath is one of my proudest achievements. Also, being shortlisted for and winning multiple awards is always a great way of gauging your success with recognition from your peers and people outside our industry. This just solidifies our belief that we’re on the right track." – Tony

Going Forward

The next few years hold endless possibilities. We cannot wait to see what they have waiting for us.

A big thank you must go out to all our customers and supporters on our journey so far. None of this would have been possible without you!