Stan Cash
‘Cowboy Porch Thoughts’
In the 80s, Rob Soek (aka) Stan Cash was deemed by many to be a little out there and possibly a tad crazy; but he captured our attention. Whether we wanted to or not, we embraced our very own Tin Shed retail Cowboy and his zany side-kicks through his earworm jingles, famous catch-cries and low-budget ‘cheesy’ television commercials. ‘Who was that man?’
Rob was the retail and marketing brains behind the rise of Stan Cash that grew from one store to twenty in a decade; turning over in excess of a million dollars every week before selling the retail chain to Vox Odeon. That was a lot of whitegoods, household furniture plus VHS tapes, walk-mans, dual cassette players, digital watches and Michael Jackson Velcro wallets priced at a ‘crazy’ $1.00.
Every ‘advertising’ quarter, Rob would don his blue cowboy hat, red and blue western shirt, white scarf, dark denim jeans and cowboy boots to front the agency cameras, television directors and the customers as ‘Stan who?’ Stan Cash!
Together with business partner George Caval, the iconic Stan Cash is back, promising to take on the retail giants and has officially swung open the Tin Shed Superstore door along Geelong Road in Melbourne’s West in the suburb of Braybrook.
On the back of his horse alongside his Grand Opening side-kicks - Tommy Hafey, Peter Daicos and singer/ song-writer Daryl Braithwaite (you guessed it, he sang his hit song ‘The Horses’), I caught up with Rob on his Tin Shed Porch; to find out more about Rob and why he has tossed Stan’s hat back into the retail ring.
Your family arrived to Melbourne from the Netherlands in 1955. What were your first impressions of Melbourne as a young child?
I couldn’t understand anyone at first as I couldn’t speak English. We lived in a one bedroom apartment in Fitzroy Street, St Kilda. After my first day at primary school I decided not to go again. I spent two months playing on the beach with an Italian boy until my mum saw us and made me go back to school.
You were quite the entrepreneur selling produce on the side of the road at jut ten years-of-age. What did you sell?
We moved from St Kilda to a 1000 acre farm in Wheelers Hill. I began working on the farm and picked mushrooms and sold them on the side of Ferntree Gully Road for 60 cents a bag. I ventured into chooks sold eggs to make some pocket money.
Did you play ‘Cowboys and Indians’ around the farm?
Yes with my best friend Stanley Colby. When I started Stan Cash I went through a lot of names including Johnny Cash, but I thought that sounded silly for a Cowboy. I settled for an unidentified name – Stan Cash. My mate Stan was probably in the back of mind.
What did you do before went into the retail industry?
I started out as a clerk at the Victorian Railways in Spencer Street and from there became a Credit Manager in a transport company. My first retail job was at Billy Guyatts and from there went out on my own.
When you first launched Stan Cash you also gave motivational talks to high school students. How did this eventuate?
It came into play through the Stan Cash advertising campaigns. A few of the local schools contacted me asking whether I would be interested in talking with their year 10 and 11 students about their career paths. I was happy to oblige because I was doing something I had never imagined doing.
What did you talk about or present?
I was surprised to learn that out of a class of 30 students, only five or six had an idea what they wanted to do for a career. I reassured the other 25 students that it was ‘ok’ and not to be embarrassed by not knowing what direction to take. I accidently fell into retail. I encouraged them to keep up their studies and further education as a back-up.
Apart from the marketing, why do you think was another key behind your success?
Generally we were overstocked and I wouldn’t have to order products on a regular basis. I deliberately overstocked so I could literally, ‘Stack ‘em high and watch ‘em fly.’
Stan Cash was bought out and you went back to running one retail store in Knox City. Why the Stan Cash comeback now?
Over the past 2-3 years our economic times have changed and customers are constantly asking, ‘are we guaranteed the lowest price?’ I started speaking with a few people who claimed weren’t getting fair deals in the Western suburbs. I researched into it and thought ‘why not’. People want bargains and value for money. Stan Cash was fondly remembered and in a way is back by public demand.
Your Grand Opening in Braybrook attracted hundreds of people including some Australian icons in their own right. Was it a sense of déjà vu for you?
It certainly was. We had bungy jumping, face-painting and pony rides for the kids. Stan officially opened the store cutting three laps on his horse inside the store which was both exciting and nerve-racking. It was a thrill to have Tommy, Peter and Daryl speak to everyone about life in general and their successes. Daryl sang ‘The Horses’ and they all took time to speak with customers and sign autographs.
Stan Cash has moved into the technological era having sighted your YouTube NEWS Flash. Will there be a new modern-day catch-cry from Stan?
Yes our new website will be launched in June and there will regular Stan Cash NEWS Flashes on YouTube and giveaways on Facebook. Stan’s new catch-cry is, ‘It’s in-store and online, same price, every time.’
What is your Porch Thought For The Day?
“The biggest risk in life is not taking a risk.”