The effervescent Merrian affectionately known as Bubbles has led her Swish Bowral team to an extraordinary win on Wednesday night.

Merrian and her team brought home the 2016 Southern Highlands Local Business Award for ‘Outstanding Fashion Store’ in the Southern Highlands.

The 2016 Southern Highlands Local Business Award acknowledged excellence in business and service to the community and the win recognized the high-level performance that Merrian and her team achieve daily.

When Swish Fashion, Plus Size Clothing was announced as the winning business from an impressive field of shortlisted finalists Merrian’s first reaction was shock. 

‘We’re only a little boutique and we were up against such big businesses’.
When they called out our name, my mouth was so wide open, I couldn’t close it. It was complete shock’, she said.

Known by all as ‘Bubbles’ it is easy to imagine a big hug with Merrian.
Her warmth and her ability to make you feel that you are the most important person in the world captivates you.

The Swish Fashion team is a family as was evidenced on the Award night with  owner, Anita Carmody sharing the evening with Merrian and her team.

‘On the night Anita and I were just hugging with our mouths wide open, we were so excited’, said Merrian.

Merrian says, ‘it is from this sense of family within the team that makes shopping at Swish so personal and that is so rare these days. I know, I’ve been in retail for a long time’.

In fact it was in the 70s that Merrian learnt her most profound lesson in retail.

‘In the 70s I worked for a pharmacist, an old Italian man. The first thing he said to me was,
“Mirri Bubbles, the most important thing you need to do in my store is remember every single persons name”. ‘I’ve never forgotten it’.

And just like her nickname, bubbles of joy fill her voice and she bursts into giggles
‘He used to stomp on my toe with these big clobbers if I forgot’.

‘Our ladies want that personal touch where you remember their names. It’s just so much more honest.’

Merrian’s commitment to smiling as she gives her customers personal honest service is contagious.

If I can have people laugh as they leave, it’s a great day. You have to be honest’ she says.

And it’s just that cheeky honesty and prize-winning attitude that the Bowral customers crave.

‘I’m only 5 feet tall. We have a lot of short people so I sat with Anita and said we need short dresses. We got short dresses in the store. Then I had some ladies saying to me, “I can’t wear those dresses, I’m too short”. ‘I looked up at them, they were taller than me and I smiled and said ‘like really’.

Of course the win is not Merrian’s alone. Swish Fashion congratulates all of the Bowral team, Donna, Velda and Dianna, without whom the win would not have been possible.