JB Stores are known for their homeware, their fabrics, and their family atmosphere, with many staff staying with the company for years, and the owners taking a hands-on approach to managing the business.

The approach was made clear as we attempted to reach JB’s head office, reaching the fabric department instead. No problem there – the clerk simply handed the phone to the person next to her – a member of the Sant family.

Although he did end up passing us on to his son, the executive manager, it was clear from first contact that the Sant family can be found on the shop floor as well as the office.

Christopher Sant, son of Albert Sant, one of the co-founders along with his late brother Joe (JB stands for Joe and Bertu, as Albert is known), is the person I want to speak to. A second generation director, he takes care of the technological aspects of the company.

“It’s easier than letting my dad get near a computer,” he laughs.

The relationship between the family is evidently strong, with his siblings Adrian, Maria and Sarah also part of the team, but that does not mean conflicts do not arise. Asked how the family deals with such incidents, Mr Sant says that the division of the relationship between the personal and the work-related is essential.

“You have to switch from family mode to business mode,” he says. “You have to approach it as work. Even the way I address my father to others, I call him by his first name like any other worker.”

“You have to keep it separated,” he continues. “Otherwise, it can get awkward. Even if I don’t agree with something, I’ve learned to keep calm and, if necessary, bring it up later.”

“Otherwise, if you argue, you come to the end of the day and wonder, was that worth it?”

Mr Sant explains that he tries to maintain some work-life balance, but admits that his father wouldn’t be able to if he tried.

“His life is here,” he laughs. “He’s always thinking about the shop, even when at home.”

One would be forgiven for thinking that Mr Sant was born to take over the company, but he refutes the notion, saying that his initial goal was to be a dentist or a pilot – he even has a private license to fly planes.

Fated or not, growing up in and around the shop, which was opened in 1983, allowed Mr Sant to work his way up the ladder slowly, getting used to all the different operational aspects of the business.

He started while still at school, studying biology and chemistry and without a thought of ever entering the family business, by spending a few hours stacking shelves on Saturdays.

“Eventually,” he says, “I started helping clients, then manning the cash point. I worked my way up to management, taking care of customer complaints, after which I started observing each and every department to get a feel for the whole operation.”

Today Mr Sant is an executive director, but he is quick to dismiss any notion of a succession.

“There is an element of a transition, sure, but my father is still very, very active at all levels. He’s the head of the company – if we find any difficulty, we always defer to him.”

Otherwise, however, he leaves things up to his children, allowing them plenty of independence to do as they see fit. 

The family atmosphere extends beyond those related by blood, with each of the Group’s 150 employees being an integral part of the family. In fact, Mr Sant notes with a hint of pride, the Group’s homeware and fashion businesses were flexible and diverse enough to avoid mass layoffs, as workers could be transferred from one department to another.

The picture is very different at the Santana Hotel in Qawra, owned and operated by JB Group, which was totally shut down in March and reopened a month after restrictions were lifted with minimal staff.

“Yes, we basically had to, we had no option,” he says with sadness. “The hotel was closed, and there was simply nothing we could do.”

Luckily for the Group, the homeware business thrived online, and continued to do so when stores were able to re-open.

“People spent so much time at home,” he says. “For many, possibly the longest they ever have. So it’s not surprising that people were more likely to invest in their own living space. They were able to see that it was time to change that lamp, or to get new bedsheets, or new pots and pans to relish doing all that cooking in.”

“Plus,” he continues, “the fabric department did very well. Once people realised they could make and sell their own masks, we saw a sharp uptick in business.”

The Group’s Italian fashion outlet, Candida, did not do as well at first, but Mr Sant notes with satisfaction that the brand nonetheless exceeded expectations over Black Friday.

“That’s expectation after COVID hit,” he clarifies. “It’s still a far cry from what we expected before the pandemic, but given that we were at zero for a while, yes, sales definitely picked up strongly over the week.”

During the pandemic, JB Group pushed on with their investment plans and opened an outlet of the Sino-Japanese retail brand MINISO in Sliema.

“If everything goes to plan, we’ll be opening another MINISO store in St Paul’s Bay next month,” he says.

The Group is also looking for premises for a new Candida location, and intend to open a new JB Store in San Ġwann.

“We’re also restructuring a lot of old stores, like the one in Ħamrun,” he says. “The time to update everything is now.”

Before we close, we ask Mr Sant for what he believes are the greatest strengths and weaknesses of operating such a tight-knit family business.

Without a moment’s hesitation, he says that the support available from family members is really special. “You can feel at ease asking anything. There’s no shame, and everyone is honest.”

“As for weakness, there are always personal issues that can interfere. You do have to be careful about what you say, to not butt into others’ business.”

“But,” he closes, “as long as you strictly separate work from personal life, and behave with respect, the pros far outweigh the cons.”