On a quest for perfection

GOA: J M Pacheco, the popular 84-year-old retail textile store, that stands along the Francisco Loyola road in Margao’s busy New Markethas witnessed four generations taking charge of its affairs ever since it was established as Comerciante de Tecidos (Fabric Merchants) on New Year’s Day in 1932 by Luis Sebastiao Pacheco.
Hailing from Loutolim, Luis Sebastiao, a tailor by profession, roped in two other tailors to help him stitch garments for his customers.His son, Jose Manuel, later joined the business and, following requests from clients, began purchasing textiles and fabrics for sale while also continuing to sew them into clothing. This trend prevails at J M Pacheco despite the enormous demand for readymade clothing and the rage online shopping has created.
Luis Anthony claims he followed his father, Jose Manuel’s footsteps when he entered the family business at the tender age of 18, five decades ago. He is ably assisted by his wife, Ninette, and son, Jude, who also holds a diploma in mechanical engineering and a BBA. Luis Anthony’s brothers, Nelson and Ronnie, however, opted out of the family trade and are pursuing different careers.
J M Pacheco, the store, has been renovated twice; once in 2004 and more recently in October this year in an attempt to “move with the times”. It is obvious that customer satisfaction is key for the Pachecos, who chose to keep their outlet shut for four whole months to create space for an array of fabrics and to give clients a hassle-free shopping experience. “For instance, we realized the lighting in the store was insufficient because customers would tend to carry fabrics outside the shop to get a better view of the colours. A lot has changed since,” Jude explains.
Although its clientele hail mostly from Margao and the suburbs, J M Pacheco gets a fair share of customers from neighbouring villages in Salcete as well as from far-flung locales like Pernem, Mapusa, Calangute, Candolim, Siolim, Saligao, Anjuna, Sakhali, Bicholim, Panaji, Canacona, Sanguem, Quepem and Sanvordem. “European charter tourists also thronged the store around two decades ago for made-to-order garments to help them cope with Goa’s tropical climate,” Ninette says, while she adeptly takes measurements of a client.
A former employee of CMM’s Colfax Laboratories, Ninette quit her job upon her marriage in 1978 and decided to venture into designing clothes for the clients of her entrepreneur husband. Having learnt tailoring during her younger years, the industrious woman began by sewing children’s clothes. She has since progressed to tailoring women’s evening dresses and has even sewn a couple of wedding gowns. “We have a set of tailors but I still prefer taking clients’ measurements as I seek perfection,” she smiles.
Luis Anthony maintains that despite the radical changes the store has gone through over the years, including the construction of another floor, it has managed to hold onto its charm and aesthetics. This is apparent, as many an old-timer are seen walking through J M Pacheco’s doors if only to find the right fabric and the perfect fit.