CARROL BOYES: Synthesis Between Art & Function Proves Perfect Business Model

For more than 30 years, the Carrol Boyes business has been creating uniquely South African products, expertly crafted in South Africa, that reflect the personality of its founder. Internationally acclaimed, Carrol began her career in 1989 after leaving her job as a teacher to focus on the development of her art manufacturing business. She studied Sculpture and Fine Art at the University of Pretoria before moving to Cape Town. Her initial designs were in the jewellery space and were made from clay. Eventually she began selling copper items on a small scale from home before opening a market stand in Greenmarket Square. After just three years of operation, Carrol Boyes had factories in Limpopo and Cape Town, and the business was blossoming.

By 2019, the Carrol Boyes brand was recognised around the country and had also stamped its mark on other international markets, namely Australia. With 22 stores in South Africa, availability in 15 David Jones stores, stocked by 130 outlets in Australia, and exported to more than 30 other countries, the special designs dreamt up by the founder have captured the imagination of buyers.

Sadly, in August 2019, Carrol passed away following a brief illness at the age of 65. At this point, she had ensured her interest in the human form, sculpted attractively into useful products had spread throughout the business. She had encouraged diversity and empowerment, but above all creativity. Expanding the reach of the company, she had interests in wine and art as well as home and kitchenware that provides functional beauty.

Before her death, Carrol spoke of the brand and how she was proud of what it had become.

“From the age of nine, I always wanted to be an artist and I think that the business was the end result of years of working towards being the person that I wanted to be,” she said. “I didn’t want to go through my life never testing my creativity. I’d like the brand to continue long after I am gone. It was never my intention for it to grow to the size that it is today – it has surpassed my wildest dreams and I like to know that from a South African point of view, it remains a South African icon and that the South African public can be proud that we have created this brand that can be sold across the world.”

CONTINUED GROWTH

Today, Carrol Boyes’ top products include cutlery and dinnerware, office and bar products, home décor, textiles and other accessories.

“My favourite piece of all time is the man water jug – to give that as a gift, I think you’ve got a classic. The other gift that is amazing to give is the soul mate salad servers,” Carrol said in 2019.

When Carrol passed away, her brothers John and Charles stepped in to manage the business. With a strong senior management team, all of whom had dealt directly with Carrol in the past, and clearly understand her direction and desire for creativity, the flair was certainly not dampened. But a steady hand was needed to help guide the business in what was a turbulent economic environment.

“Carrol’s got a massive archive of drawings and design ideas that she left for us. In the last year, when she got sick, she said to me ‘Charles, I’m going to produce enough articles that you don’t have to think about design for the next five years’,” Charles Boyes told the Sunday Times in 2019.

The brothers, who have been involved since the early days, promised to continue with the company’s growth strategy and also hinted at diversification to help attract new, younger customers.

“Our motto has always been ‘we want to be the gift of choice’, but now we want to change that to not only be the gift of choice but to own the home,” said Charles.

In 2019, the plan was to bolster the product range and attract new customers by introducing fashion lines including handbags, sunglasses and other products under a new brand that would complement the Carrol Boyes style of a blend of art and function. There was also talk of introducing electronics such as toasters and kettles to add to the already strong kitchen segment.

“A lot of Carrol Boyes’s customers love displaying their products, which is exactly what we as a company want them to do. And those are the items like a toaster and a kettle that you leave our on your counter that go very well with your canisters and your bread bins and paper towel holders,” said Charles.

However, like for almost all businesses 2020 and Covid-19 has swept in to create difficulty.

2019-2020 YEARS TO FORGET

In May, the Carrol Boyes business joined with several others to form the Mid-Sized Independent Retailers (MIR) Group. Because of the strangling of spending as a result of national lockdown, many retailers have been left struggling as customers still fear returning to stores and the socially distanced nature of how retailers must now operate means selling under capacity. The MIR Group is designed to help retailers to survive.

Members includes the Cape Union Mart Group brands, Hi-Tec SA, Toys R Us, Bargain Books, Under Armour, Fashion World, Carrol Boyes, Cellucity, Exclusive Books, Coricraft, Dial-a-Bed, Computer Mania, Crocs, Trappers, Choice Clothing and BT Games.

The group accounts for around 2300 stores across South Africa, and 21,000 jobs. Each business is too small to be considered a major national retailer, and described as non-essential due to the nature of products on offer.

The main aim of the group is to negotiate fair terms with landlords while demand remains suppressed and revenue is unpredictable.

“We are most concerned about the year ahead after the lockdown,” said Jonathan Kingsley-Hall, representative for the MIR Group. “Limited movement, social distancing and constrained trading will be a reality until a vaccine is commercially available. The majority of retailers we represent generated sales in the week preceding the lockdown in March that were sharply below the same week in 2019.

“This poses an extremely high default risk for thousands of retail shops after the lockdown is lifted, if they are to try to meet the terms of their existing lease agreements.

“The approach taken thus far by the Property Industry Group lacks tenant engagement and the foresight on the frightening reality facing the retail industry. A collective ‘out of the box’ effort to ensure our collective survival is urgently necessary to avert a disaster.”

But it is important to keep focus on the positives during tough times, and while the market may have been drastically impacted by Covid-19, the Carrol Boyes business continues to shine.

AWARD WINNING

In March, the company was labelled Best Homeware and Gift Retailer in Build Magazine’s Home and Garden Awards 2020. The UK-based publication developed the awards scheme to recognise the best companies operating within the home and garden space, working to create environments in which people love to spend time.

“The award was a lovely surprise and a great achievement for the company, and we are so very proud of Carrol. She worked hard and loved doing what she did,” said Michelé Stuurman, group marketing and PR for Carrol Boyes.

“Carrol made a tremendous contribution to the design world, both locally and internationally. What an accomplishment for South Africa, her staff and the countless women whom she empowered over the years.

“Carrol was an inspiration to so many people through her designs and art, as well as her considerable contribution to the community. She added so much value to so many lives in so many ways. We just wish she could be here to celebrate with us. She was, and continues to be, a true South African icon, and nobody deserves this award more than Carrol. We miss her dearly, every day.”

In May, Carrol was awarded the Global Innovation (gia) accolade in the category Home and Houseware Retail 2020.

Established in 2000, the gia calls on the expertise from magazine sponsors in 13 countries with the International Homeware Award created to foster innovation and creative merchandising among home and housewares retailers.

“We are very honoured to receive the award and we see it as a recognition of Carrols’ efforts and as encouragement to not give up on what you love,” the company said.

Clearly, even a year after her passing, Carrol Boyes continues to have an impact on staff, customers and industry onlookers and her designs and business ethos live on. Growing from a single person operation experimenting with something enjoyable and much-loved, the organisation has become internationally renowned. Perhaps that is the key to business success and longevity.

The announcement of her death came with a message to employees within the business: “I have had such fun with you and you have enriched my life greatly. Please remember that we do things differently here. Never be ordinary – be extraordinary and throw in a bit of naughtiness every now and then and keep laughing. Never lose your sense of humour.”

Now, in times of challenge, this message has never been more meaningful.