It’s not his native Mayo, it’s not at home with his feet up and it’s certainly not a fancy five-star hotel. Instead, ask Dom Byrne’s children where their father is happiest and they’ll say with certainty that it’s on the shop floor of The Sweater Shop – talking to and learning about the customers.
“His love of the shop floor is insatiable,” laughs his son Paul who, alongside his sister Laura, wife Katie, sister-in-law Eileen Louise and cousin Alva, now runs the day-to day side of the family business, which was founded by Dom and his wife Joan in 1986. “We joke that there is nowhere in the world Dad would rather be than on the shop floor. Sales reports tell us so much but he’s taught us that customer interaction on the shop floor is key. Spend time with customers, asking questions and you’ll learn more than any report.”
A deep commitment to the customer experience is just one of the tricks of the trade that Dom has passed down to his children, and while there has been expansion and evolution over the past four decades, the Byrnes are proud that as they celebrate their 40th anniversary the company’s mission statement has stayed the same. Upon opening the first store in 1986, Dom Byrne was interviewed for this newspaper, and when asked by a reporter what made his business special, he answered ”quality, value and selection”. Is that still The Sweater Shop’s point of difference?
“Yes,” says Laura, “this still rings true today and is definitely our mission statement. We put a big emphasis on three pillars – quality Irish knits, great value and a selection that’s growing year on year, thanks to our amazing suppliers.
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“We have been so lucky to grow alongside our suppliers – brands such as IrelandsEye, Westend Knitwear, and different Aran woollen mills dotted around the country. We meet with them annually and love to see how they combine traditional craftsmanship with the latest technology to bring each design to life. In a world of mass production, we are so proud to support local suppliers around the country.”
The humble Aran sweater has been enjoying a resurgence in recent years, a twist that comes as no surprise to Paul, who recognises that by buying an Aran you are buying a sweater for life. That’s why The Sweater Shop’s commitment to quality remains paramount to its longevity.
“Fast fashion is the opposite of our ethos,” he explains. “People come to us because they want to buy well and buy once. In our stores you’ll see the classic Aran sweater, the very same one that we sold in 1986, which is still a bestseller, and beside it will be a modern take. We try not to stray too far from our roots, but evolving into new vibrant colours, new Aran designs and materials help us evolve the classic Aaran sweater for a new audience.”
While many of their new customers have found The Sweater Shop via its website – a surprising upside of 2020’s many Covid-enforced lockdowns – buying online doesn’t mean customers miss out on the renowned customer service. Reminiscent of their father bringing them to customers’ homes as children, Paul admits he now does deliveries himself if they happen to fall on his way home – with his young son in the back.
“We don’t want to lose that sense of family business which can happen through expansion,” says Laura. “We absolutely love that all of the staff are fully invested and we can see the interactions with customers on a daily basis. The atmosphere in-store is a big thing for us, for customers to feel at home and to enjoy chatting to us and the staff. We try to replicate this online with our communication. Paul will more often than not be the person answering queries/ phone calls and this gives a reassuring family feel for customers. We won gold last year for Best Customer Service at the Irish Family Business Awards and we are really proud of it as a team.”
This ability to stick to the areas in which they know they bring the most value is perhaps how Laura, Paul and their extended family manage to work so closely together. They each bring skill sets they learned from working outside the business for many years before eventually coming back to The Sweater Shop.
“We really enjoy it,” Laura says. “We have always got on and spent time socially together. We do try to keep the shop talk to a minimum at the dinner table with the whole family but it’s unavoidable. Like all family businesses, the discussions and arguments are all healthy. Both of us have been brought up watching Dad and his customer interactions, so we try to emulate that both in store and online.”
With Dom set to retire in 2026 – although his children laugh at this suggestion, saying he’ll only be retried in “name only” – it’s an exciting time for the next iteration of The Sweater Shop. There are plans to expand its ecommerce business to new markets and continue to grow its bricks and mortar offerings, but both Paul and Laura remain absolute that nothing will change their mission statement or commitment to customer service.
“Our customer service sets us apart from others. Our customers feel that we will go the extra mile for them, and that’s what they have come to expect.”
For more information visit sweatershop.com
