Luke McKinna on Squish kids clothing: ‘Squish is a name that makes people smile’
Rachel Morrell finds a playful Edinburgh stalwart bringing joy to shoppers of all ages with their latest endeavour
Children’s store Squish is the newest of four shops run by Swish Projects, a family-owned venture created in 1994 by Dougie McKinna. Over the decades, his son Luke has witnessed the enterprise grow from its vintage clothing shop origins. ‘My dad worked for other brands and decided it was the natural next step,’ says the younger McKinna of the company’s trajectory. ‘It went through different phases. We had Wacky Kool Enterprises which sold a lot of international products people hadn’t seen before; then Kool With A K which had fun glow stuff for the nightlife scene. Everything was always related to clothing.’
Now a popular Edinburgh brand with locations in Victoria Street, Cockburn Street and Bruntsfield, the business has turned its attention to shoppers’ softer side. ‘We always had a children’s department and started to do Jellycat products. We caught that wave of interest and our kids’ section grew, almost spilling over the shelves, so we expanded. Squish is a name that makes people smile when they hear it and we’ve enjoyed creating something so intentional. Lots of people buy gifts for their kids and a fun toy for themselves too.’
While the colourful style and range of brands attracts customers, it’s the ability to connect with people that gives this independent business enduring success. ‘People stand at the windows and we can hear them getting excited,’ says McKinna. ‘It’s all about the person-to-person experience and we get so many good experiences from customers. That’s all we aim for; that people can come in and have a happy hour of their day.’
Squish, 22–24 & 82 Victoria Street, 50 Cockburn Street, and 118 Bruntsfield Place, Edinburgh.