A fashion store manager has clocked up four decades of dedicated service with the same company.
Ann Littler, the manager of Wallis at the Eagles Meadow Shopping Centre in Wrexham, says she never imagined she’d still be working in retail 40 years after starting out as a young 19-year-old sales assistant.
She said: “It’s been amazing really but I wouldn’t want to do anything else. If I could have had a choice, like being a doctor, air crew, or some other fancy job I’d turn it down and work here instead.
“In fact, I have said, and I mean it, even if I won the lottery I’d still be here and quite happy too. It’s down to the customers you meet and Wrexham people are so friendly.
“I have been invited and gone to the weddings of some customers and more than one christening too. I used to serve customers who are now grandmothers and I’m serving their daughters too.
“If I wasn’t here I’d miss all that. And I work with an amazing and friendly team too which is important.”
Ann is proud that since leaving school at the age of 15, she has only been out of work for a total of two weeks.
She said: “I initially had at Wright’s Corner in Queen Street which is now BHS and the Co-op in Regents Street. But I started at Dorothy Perkins on April 22nd 1974. The Burton Group owned the company then but they sold out to Arcadia who still own the business today.
“I was at Dorothy Perkins for 26 years – 20 of them as manager. I then went to Evans in Henblas Street as store manager before switching to Wallis, in Regent Street as deputy manager. That was in November 2001.
“I then transferred to Eagles Meadow in October 2008 and have been here, as manager, ever since.”
And according to Ann, who hails from Coedpoeth, she has witnessed lots of changes in the retail fashion industry during her 40 year career.
She said: “Fashion styles have obviously changed and we sell a lot more casual and occasional wear now. But the quality has improved so much too.
“The best part of the job though is getting to meet so many nice people. We do have lots of regular customers who I am always pleased to talk to.”
Ann was presented with £400 of vouchers by her Arcadia bosses to mark her 40 years of dedicated service and also paid for a slap up meal for Ann and her staff at The Lemon Tree restaurant in the town.
She said: “They are a really good firm to work for and the staff, here at Eagles Meadow, are excellent too. We have a lot of fun and it’s worth coming to work for all the laughs we enjoy. I certainly have no retirement plans at the moment and look forward to clocking up 50 years of service. I’ll only be a young 69!”
Wallis sales advisor Sheila Morgan says it’s no wonder Ann has clocked up 40 years of service as she always goes that extra mile to provide exceptional customer service.
She said: “Ann is not only a brilliant manager she has a wonderful way with customers. She has a reputation for good customer service and it’s no wonder so many customers come back to see her time and time again.
“I came out of retirement to work with Ann and it was the right decision. We have a wonderful team here at Wallis Eagles meadow and it’s a pleasure to come to work.”
Eagles Meadow Shopping Centre manager, Kevin Critchley, says he is delighted to see Ann has been rewarded for her dedication and hard work.
He said: “The customer experience is really important and there’s little doubt Ann, who sees her role as more of a vocation than a job, prides herself on her exceptional customer service skills.
“It’s quite unusual, in retail, for someone to have such a long record of unbroken service with one company. And I hope Ann, who deserves the recognition she has been given for her amazing years of hard work, enjoys working at Eagles Meadow for a long time to come.”
