A Day in the Life of Grace & Dotty at the Races
At Grace & Dotty, our passion lies in bringing timeless, country-inspired fashion directly to racegoers. Each event is a blend of meticulous planning and very early starts, thankfully the joy of connecting with you all makes it worthwhile! In this blog post, we’re taking you behind-the-scenes to give you a sneak peek of what a day at the races is really like for us.
4.45am: A typical race day start time can vary considerably. Depending on the time of year and the type of race meeting, the race can start anywhere between 11.30am and 4pm.
Our day begins bright and early, especially during the winter months when the alarm rings at around 4.45 in the morning. Summer thankfully offers a slight reprieve with far more reasonable wake-up times thanks to the longer days. A hearty breakfast is essential, as the day’s schedule often leaves little room for regular meals.
5.30am: Post breakfast, we head to our storage unit to collect the van and any last-minute stock additions. Next, it’s a short drive to our office to gather the rest of the team and make sure we have everything we need.
6.00am: We primarily attend race meetings within a 90-minute drive from our office as we have to be set up and ready to go 30 minutes before the gates open, which is usually 2 hours before the first race starts. In winter, this means departing between 6.00-6.30am; summer schedules allow for a slightly later start.
8.00am: Upon arrival at the racecourse, we touch base with the event team and enjoy a quick cuppa before getting started for the day. Setting up our pop-up shop is a detailed process, typically taking between 2-2.5 hours. Racecourse regulations require all vehicles to be offsite 30 minutes before the gates open, so there is no time for any distractions!
10:30am: With the shop ready and the gates open, we can immerse ourselves in the vibrant atmosphere of the races. The race day usually spans about 4.5 hours, depending on the number of events, giving us plenty of time to take in the events and chat to all our lovely customers.
Some race days even feature post-race entertainment, adding an extra 90 minutes to the day. Once festivities conclude and attendees depart, we begin the process of packing up. This involves retrieving our vehicle, dismantling the shop, and making sure everything is securely loaded.
6.00pm: The journey back includes stops at our storage unit to unload and the office to drop off team members, before heading home. Race days are not for the faint-hearted with an average race day taking up approximately 14 hours from departure to return. Despite the long hours, we are incredibly lucky to have a dedicated team that thrives on the camaraderie and shared passion for delivering exceptional fashion to race enthusiasts. We believe in promoting a great culture in the company, rewarding hard work and most importantly, having fun along the way!
8.30pm: Now we’re home, it’s time to finally put our feet up and relax!
Why not come and join us at the races? With 104 race meetings in the calendar for 2025, you have plenty of chances to stop by, say hi and enjoy the fun and thrilling atmosphere of a race day.
