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Velvet Exclusive Ladieswear in Ramsbottom is celebrating a major milestone this year — their 15th anniversary. And alongside this achievement, Velvet Menswear is proudly marking its 6th year of trading.

Velvet first opened its stylish doors in 2010 with Debbie at the helm, and six years later, in 2016, the business moved to a prime spot on Bridge Street. While many high street stores have struggled in recent years, Velvet has bucked the trend, continuing to develop, grow, and thrive.

When the former NatWest Bank premises on Bridge Street became available in 2019, this savvy businesswoman seized the opportunity to expand Velvet, opening a second store dedicated to menswear. Six years on, the success of the menswear store stands as a testament to Debbie’s vision and hard work.

Debbie credits her close-knit team and family for helping make the expansion so seamless.

“My team have been fantastic and Velvet would not be what it is today without them all,” she says. “They worked so hard to help make this happen and quickly learned about the new brands we stock for men and women — it’s been a whirlwind experience, and a very successful one too.”

Throughout the past 15 years, Debbie and her loyal team have built their product knowledge to deliver the best possible shopping experience. A whistle-stop tour of fashion trade shows across the UK and Europe laid the foundations for both stores’ flourishing collections.

“Those trips were crucial in shaping the menswear brands we wanted for Velvet,” Debbie adds. “It’s been brilliant to see the collections come together, and we’re proud to now offer fantastic names like Barbour for both ladies and gents, along with Fynch-Hatton, Meyer, and Bugatti, to name just a few.”

Although Debbie had long recognised a gap in the local market for high-quality menswear, she took the time to listen to her loyal customer base before taking the plunge.

“We had so many men visiting Velvet Ladieswear with their wives and partners, and we found that men wanted to shop local too. They started requesting brands they would like to see in Ramsbottom. I wanted to ensure our menswear store had the right products and the right atmosphere — a place where men would feel catered for. We’ve tried to take the thought process away by showing men how to dress through the layout of the store. The reaction has been tremendous — and long may that continue.”

With Velvet offering something for everyone, and both buildings full of their own charm, take a seat in a velvet armchair, enjoy a cuppa from fine bone china, and shop to your heart’s content — you won’t be disappointed.