The end of Ennis’ fuller figure…

SHE’S been selling clothes for more than 50 years but Anne Pigott will be retiring from the retail business this Saturday evening.

Many businesses are closing their doors nowadays due to the recession but happily, that’s not the reason that Anne’s shop, The Fuller Figure on Parnell Street is shutting.

At 65, she will be taking things a bit easier and she says that things weren’t going too badly with the business.

“I wasn’t finding it too hard, I had my customers. It was a good steady business. All the other shops these days would be going for the young people. They wouldn’t have anything for my age group or older. People could come in here and have a chat and I’d have a cup of tea for them.”

There are a number of retirement cards in the shop in Parnell Street, which she has had for more than 20 years. Her parents also had a shop on the street before her and that was where Anne learnt her trade.

“I was born and bred into it, I can’t remember anything except selling clothes. When I’d come home from school my mother would say to me ‘go out and sell that woman a coat’. I would only have been about nine or 10.”

She says The Fuller Figure had “the loveliest customers” and that her father was a big influence on her and how she interacted with her patrons.

“I adored my father, he was the loveliest man. He had time for everything. He always had time to listen, no matter how busy he was.”

Anne used to enjoy going to Dublin and London buying clothes for the shop but has found that harder over the last 18 months, after falling and hurting her back. But her love of fashion remains undimmed and she finds it strange not having any winter stock.

“I was never without it. It’s very odd and I hate not having it. But I’m getting out now.” She will be spending some time abroad and has a few interests that will help pass the time after Saturday.

“I’ll go back to the sea, I love the sea. I love reading as well, anything to do with history and I love reading anything about the late Diane Spencer or her two boys. I love antiques as well, my grandfather had an antiques shop,” she says.