Newport’s Visual Impact is celebrating a milestone birthday as it was 40 years ago today – on 4th May 1985 – that the clothing store first opened its doors on Watchbell Lane.
The iconic fashion clothing store was the brainchild of local entrepreneur Steve Robson.
Steve – who never thought he would stay on the Island – started buying and selling as a Ryde High School student aged just 13. His first venture was trading in records, claiming to have sold some of the rarest records in the world. He then went on to repairing and selling scooters.
As a 19-year-old, Steve launched Visual Impact at 4 Watchbell Lane (next to Calverts) when a potential leaseholder pulled out, and he was offered the property.
He started with a 7-year lease, paying just £50 a week rent. The capital for the business was raised by selling a car for £1,500 – with £500 used to refurbish the shop and a further £1,000 to buy stock.
In 1989, he bought the lease of the shop next door, opening the ladies’ department the following year. In 1992, Steve launched a younger store called Generation at 21 Holyrood Street.
Robson had a store in Guildford in the 90s but abandoned the project when the commuting got too much. He preferred to have a really good store to several mediocre ones.
Since its humble beginnings, Visual Impact has gone from strength to strength. Steve attributes Visual Impact’s success to getting onto new trends and brands really quickly, before they become household names.
It was one of the first stores in the country to stock Diesel jeans back in 1987. Visual Impact also stocked up on Levi’s a month before the iconic Nick Camen ad came out in 1985.
However, being first on any new fashion craze has not always been the formula for success. At the end of the 80s – the start of the rave scene – Visual Impact bought some crazy ‘baggy’ outfits that took 4 months to arrive.
By the time the rave gear had appeared in store, the craze had passed.
Ever since then, Steve has concentrated on purchasing clothes that are stylish rather than fashion fades.
Visual Impact was hit by the rise of online sales, especially during COVID-19. However, Robson claims that – after 40 years – his store is now busier than it ever has been before.
He is definitely aiming to be around for Visual Impact’s 50th anniversary!
Steve says:
“We’ve been part of the community for so long. So many customers have shopped with us for so many years.
“Many customers with us as in there teens and now they come shopping with their sons and daughters to buy clothes for them .”
An excellent store along with Osbornes and Fields,
shame they don’t have a store in Union Street Ryde
all there is in Ryde are tacky clothes shops.
I always felt Visual Impact would have done
well in Ryde.
I do miss Caws & sons in Seaview, it was a
sad day when they closed down.
I now have to travel to Cowes to buy my
deck shoes.
As a relative newcomer to the island (3 and a bit years), I only visited Visual Impact for the first time two weeks ago. Some great clobber and super service from Steve and his team. Now have a new suit and blazer! I’ll be back for more soon.
He sells some great suits, for island standards
you won’t get better.