Doris Ann Lewis couldn’t convey the persona of a hard-nosed businesswoman even if she tried. She is far too engaging, far too preoccupied with the concerns of others and far too fond of embracing the less fortunate, supporting them in their condition of worry and distress. Those are not supposed to be the character traits of a tough, self-centred entrepreneur; and yet, over a period spanning more than three decades she has immersed herself, alongside her husband John, in an array of business pursuits, encountering as many challenges and setbacks as her male counterparts endured and emerging as one of the most-respected women in the contemporary Guyanese private sector.
Doris grew up in a business family. Her parents operated a modest but successful grocery store at the corner of Lamaha and Albert streets. As a child she was encouraged to help run the establishment though not at the expense of her education which included training in Business Administration. By the time of her marriage to John Lewis she had already demonstrated a flair for managing a business enterprise.
In 1980 the couple embarked on their first collective business venture, a gas station and taxi service. Those, however, were short-lived, folding within a year. In 1981 they established Regent Motor Spares, importing British vehicles for the local market. For the next five years Regent Motor Spares ran a thriving trade supporting a motor vehicle industry that relied on the British brands. By 1986, however, the influx of the more stylish and cheaper Japanese vehicles curtailed the trade in British spares. The Lewises were to endure for a further ten years before a devastating fire put an end to Regent Motor Spares.
By that time, however, the Lewises had created the Gift Centre which operated on premises adjacent to Regent Motor Spares. The new establishment having been spared the ravages of the fire, the Lewises decided to focus their energies on new establishment. A branch of the Gift Centre was established in Alexander Street, Kitty but was subsequently closed. Later in 1996 the Gift Centre was relocated to its current premises on Hadfield Street by which time Doris had emerged as a highly visible figure in the Guyanese business community. It was she rather than her husband – an unusual phenomenon in the Guyanese business culture – who emerged as the face behind the establishment. The Gift Centre, meanwhile, became the favored haunt of customers hunting gift items and personal acquisitions. The relatively small but tastefully arranged store boasted an attractive array of delicate ornaments, costume jewellery, watches, decorative bands, stationery sets, bags and colognes. As Guyanese became more fitness conscious, a development that spawned several investments in the creation of modern gymnasia, the Gift Centre responded to the market by importing exercise equipment, serving as the local distributor for the internationally famous York brand. The Gift Centre also provides a free Wedding Gift Registry a facility which Doris says “takes the guesswork out of choosing important gifts.”
Decades in business has imbued in Doris an old-fashioned commitment to giving service. She resents the contemporary commercial sub culture that favours cutting corners, gouging prices and thriving on cheap imports and imitation brands passed on to customers at inflated prices. Experience, she says, has thought her that building a strong client base is rooted in offering products on which customers can rely. While her success as an entrepreneur is a clear indication of her business acumen, offering value for money remains part of her creed.
Beyond her own business enterprise Doris has been a valued member of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce. At 66 she continues to play an active role in the management of the Gift Centre while paying a keen interest in the broader developments in the country’s private sector. She concedes, however, that much of the responsibility for the day-to-day running of the establishment has been passed to her children. However, she remains active as an advocate of charitable causes including the Radio Needy Children’s Fund, the Guyana Relief Council and the St Joseph Mercy Hospital Charity. She divides her days between cooking, exercising and “checking up” on the Gift Centre. Otherwise, she continues to attend meetings and make contributions to her favoured charities.
