In this new feature, we speak to managers at popular decorating centres. First up, it’s Elysia Glass, Store Manager of Crown Decorating Centre in Elgin
The atmosphere in Crown Decorating Centre’s (CDC) Elgin store is something special. From the moment decorators start filtering in at 7:30am for their daily catch-up, it’s clear that 22-year-old Store Manager Elysia Glass knows not just their projects, but their lives.
What makes Elysia stand out as Store Manager is her instinctive understanding that a merchant’s real role is supporting working decorators – not as customers, but as colleagues.
From no decorating background to leading the store – how did that happen?
I don’t have a painting and decorating background at all. I started as a Store Assistant at Crown and just fell in love with it. It helped that I grew up in Elgin – I already knew so many of the decorators and the community, so I could build on those relationships from day one.
I was promoted to Store Manager last year. I think what matters most is understanding that this job is fundamentally about supporting people who are running real businesses. Decorators work alone most of the time, so being able to talk through a job, get specification advice, or just have someone who knows their work – that really matters.
And if something sits outside what we can advise on locally, we’ve got the wider Crown Contractor and Specification Team behind us. It’s not just us in Elgin – it’s one team across the whole business working together to get the decorator the right answer.
Walk us through a typical day
Every day is different. First, I open up, and then I sort the day’s deliveries, but the bulk of my time is spent with decorators working through their projects. We’re doing a lot of specification work at the moment. Kitchen units are huge – homeowners want to refresh them without the cost of a full replacement, and there’s a real opportunity there. Decorators are asking us which products will work, what prep is needed, how long it’ll take. That’s where we can add real value and consultancy on everything from colours to finishes and the right tools for the job. If a decorator needs something urgently, we can get it sorted – same-day click and collect if they can pick it up, or next-day delivery if they need it on site.
It means they’re not held up waiting for stock.
We love to see the regulars who pop in at 7:30am most mornings. They’re not browsing – they’re checking in, talking through their week’s work, getting advice. The store becomes part of their day because they’re working alone on sites. We know their projects inside out, and they trust that we’ll steer them in the right direction.
Have you had any strange requests?
We’ve got the technology to colour match pretty much anything, so we often get asked to match cushions or fabric from sofas. It’s super easy to do, so we get a lot of interesting requests!
How do you keep up with product knowledge?
Crown runs virtual ‘power hours’ for staff a couple of times a month – proper training sessions on specific products or applications. This keeps us sharp when decorators are asking detailed questions.
There’s also the Crown Academy for CDC staff, so if there’s a question about best practice or how a product performs, we’ve got the resource. But we learn just as much from the decorators themselves. They’ll feedback on what’s working on site, techniques they like… real-world application stuff. It creates a good community – everyone’s learning together.
What’s the best part of the job?
The relationships, without a doubt. I genuinely know these decorators – not just what they’re working on, but them as people. They trust our recommendations because we know their projects and understand their businesses.
That’s why we host regular breakfast mornings where we buy in breakfast rolls and take the morning to step back with the people we work with. It’s a chance to say thank you to our customers and be part of the community.