The House of Bruar
When it burst onto the Scottish retail scene in 1995, the then owners were told they were mad. Fast forward to 2022 and The House of Bruar, an independent country fashion retailer located 10 miles from Pitlochry in Perthshire, has become one of Scotland's greatest success stories.
We caught up with the Managing Director, Patrick Birkbeck, to find out more.
Can you tell me about the history of House of Bruar?
House of Bruar was set up by my parents, Linda and Mark Birkbeck and it opened in 1995. At the time, people told them that they were mad, and the concept would never work. April 2020 should have been our Silver Anniversary celebration. Over the years there have been 30 building extensions and the number of staff has grown from 50 to over 300.
What do you think makes House of Bruar special and unique?
It is a diverse, multi-channel business and the direct shopping business has undoubtedly benefitted from having a Bricks & Mortar operation. People love the fact that House of Bruar is rooted in Scotland and they’re not just ordering from a warehouse somewhere. Our people are the other key factor. We have amazing members of staff who have been with the business for 27 years. Most of the senior team started on the shop floor and have grown with the business. I love the local people here – they are rightly proud of their part of Scotland and have decency and integrity, which comes across to our customers.
What is the secret to your success?
People tend to attribute our success to our location on the A9, which, being the main road north, enjoys substantial traffic. However, a lot of our customers visit because they are passionate fishers or shooters who really appreciate Scotland and they can find the clothes and equipment they want to pursue their hobby. Others love the fresh, local Scottish produce they can buy in the Food Hall or experience in our restaurant. We are very driven by what’s in season – for instance, if Scottish asparagus is only available for 2-3 weeks, then that’s all the time we will have it available.
What do you enjoy most about living and working in Scotland?
The view from my office! Perthshire is such a beautiful and diverse area. I also love the fact that it only takes me 35 minutes to drive 35 miles!
What are your future plans for The House of Bruar?
I think the pandemic has brought home to us all the importance of living in the moment. We don’t really know what the new ‘normal’ is going to be, but I think we learnt the importance of resolving any issues quickly. The future of the business and retail in general is undoubtedly going to be rooted in the experience which customers have when they enter the store and the personal touch and service which they receive.
Are there any interesting facts you can tell us about House of Bruar?
This area of Scotland is famous for producing wonderful berries and during the season we will go through two tons of Carse of Gowrie strawberries in a week!