into Bermuda's premier one-stop shopping arena. Whether in search of clothes for the kids, the perfect wine, helpful ingredients for a quick meal, or that much-needed addition to one's own wardrobe, it's all there. Home to Marks & Spencer, Archie Brown of Bermuda, Pringles of Scotland, and the newly created Nautica and Levi's stores, the building is accessible through Archie Brown on Front Street or Marks & Spencer on Reid Street, and is physical proof of The English Sports Shop (TESS) Limited's, strong commitment to the Island's retail industry. "There is a lot of what we feel is negative talk about the retail industry,'' explained Bruce Robinson, general manager of both Archie Brown and Marks & Spencer. "Retail, like any business in the world has its ups and downs. As a group, TESS Limited is positive and we decided that if we gave locals and tourists what they wanted price-wise and quality-wise, we could compete.'' With that in mind, he explained, it was decided that the company would do all it could to see lower prices on quality goods available locally.

The result? A first-class Levi's Dockers store which is second-to-none of those in the United States, and the addition of a Nautica shop, replete with casual clothing for men from the age of 18 to 60. Each store offers its merchandise to customers at prices equal to or lower than those in the United States. "We're proactive,'' said Mr. Robinson. "We go out and try and find what the customer wants. We have, for example, men's shoes at $69.95. Where else can you find quality shoes at that price? Our Dockers and Levi's store is proving a real success. Locals come in and buy because of the price and the internationally-respected Dockers and Levi's names. And if you go into Levi's stores in the States, the layout we have here is exactly what you'll see. We even have watches for $85, the entire stock is very reasonable. We have jeans for $45 for adults and we have clothing for everyone -- from young children on up. And we can do it all because the duty has been lowered on natural fibres.'' The Levi's store, which is located on the second floor if entering from the Reid Street entrance, is accessible via stairs or elevator, making it perfect for those in wheelchairs or those with strollers. "Each of the stores in (the building) has its own style of merchandise and its own colours,'' added Mr. Robinson. "We've renovated everything in the Archie Brown area (located off the Front Street entrance) this year, and did Marks & Spencer last year. Customers are in for a real surprise, especially in Archie Brown.

For a long time the physical plant was run down. So we really had to spend some money to turn the business around. Even the staff are much happier with the changes. Where previously there were bare walls, they're now lined with clothes and much of the knitwear has given way to sportswear. And Nautica, located just to the right, offers casual clothing from men at 15 to 25 percent lower than US prices.'' A Bermuda shop to the rear of the ground floor level is the home of the store's local merchandise. "People will not be walking into a tourist shop all lined with tacky merchandise,'' he said. "It will be all quality merchandise, the atmosphere is more upscale and we've been selective in our choices.'' A painted walkway leads customers from one store area to the next within the joined buildings. A walk up the staircase from Archie Brown leads to its tartan shop, specialising in the Scottish goods which traditionally were the strength of Archie Brown. "We have tried to make each shop different,'' said Mr. Robinson, "to have them complement each other but have the merchandise different. Each area, for example, will have its own A store for every taste each store different even down to the way the goods are laid out.'' Pringle's of Scotland features the largest selection of cashmere on the Island and is still a popular luxury among visitors and locals with prices ranging anywhere from $250 to $1,000 for one-of-a-kind, hand-knits. TESS Limited took over the running of Marks & Spencer a year ago May, said Mr. Robinson, and made as much of the available space as possible, enabling the company to provide a much wider selection of food, clothing, lingerie, shoes and even wine. "We felt if we expanded Marks & Spencer, we could get more of a range of products,'' he said. "The Men's Department has a big range of shirts and ties. The Marks & Spencer reputation is built on quality. It's a little more expensive, but not if you consider all the added details such as ties made with teflon to avoid staining in case of a spill. Marks & Spencer has all these subtle things that people don't realise. And they guard their reputation for quality religiously.'' Unlike most department stores which place flawed items on the sales floor at reduced prices, Marks & Spencer insists that any such item be returned to the manufacturer. "They don't accept anything below standard,'' he said. "In fact, all the manufacturers linked with Marks & Spencer must first agree that they will adhere to this policy before any agreement is met.

Marks & Spencer have also developed a system through their technical team so that colours on say a jacket and a pair of pants, even if manufactured in two different countries, will match exactly!'' As with the Levi's store, the layout in Bermuda's Marks & Spencer is the same as that in any other part of the world. And its selection is expanding to match that offered elsewhere.

Wine from around the world is now available, with the most expensive costing no more than $30. And for any customer who is unsure of the taste, a handy listing on the back tells whether the wine is full, medium or light bodied, dry or sweet and also states the level of acidity. And for those opting to purchase ten bottles or more, ten percent is taken off the total cost. Sauces, rices, marinades, dressings, biscuits, jams, a variety of teas and coffees and other delicacies are also on sale in the area. The walkway then leads to the lingerie department which boasts a wide selection of intimate apparel and covers every size woman. The shoe department has also been enlarged as have the toiletry and hosiery areas. "Ladies' fashions are always more difficult (to select) than men's,'' added Mr. Robinson. "But we have a wide range to meet different tastes and styles. We also have swimwear at very reasonable prices, showing that Marks & Spencer is not always more expensive than other stores. There are areas in which we are quite reasonable. We also check with our competitors so we can be quite competitive pricewise. A lot of people don't relate fashion to Marks & Spencer but we do have several fashion items here. "Anyone who comes in will hopefully find what they are looking for in one of our shops.'' PHOTO The new Levi's store in the Archie Brown building Marks & Spencer's expanded food section offers numerous wines and foods to tempt one's palate General manager of the Archie Brown and Marks & Spencer stores, Bruce Robinson MINI SUPPLEMENT SUP