WHY retail?
It's a question I find myself asking on particularly tough days... It is not an easy industry - every second person is opening a boutique; it is a low profit margin business and staff can be high turnover. Despite all of this, I just love it. Our team gets more amazing every year, we have the BEST customers and there is usually enough margin to allow us to grow and expand the business. Most of all, I am extremely grateful for the people I’ve had the pleasure to know in the store, on the road buying and other like-minded business owners.
In university I studied Recreation + Business with a dream to own unique spa destinations around the world (maybe I still will some day!). I became a manager of a municipal recreation department and through that experience learned 3 major things: 1. I wanted to seek employment with an organization that could make decisions quickly, encourage creativity and foster growth; 2. I wanted to work in a positive environment that was aligned with my values (more on that later) and; 3. I still wanted to help people get active, have outdoor opportunities and empower women.
Let's chat about the last one just a little more. Since university I’ve had a passion for giving women opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise have - I started a ladies learn to play hockey league, an initiative that got people active through trying new activities (as adults), worked as a personal trainer, spin instructor and facilitated various outdoor adventures. I’ve always recognized that it’s fun to try new things, it is easier in groups and women need to be encouraged just a little bit more.
When a major department store closed in our town there was suddenly an opportunity to open an apparel business. At the time I had just popped out baby #2 who (luckily) started off sleeping a lot! During the downtime I started looking for sales reps who sold my favourite brands I purchased when traveling. My husband was beyond supportive - since day one he encouraged me to take the risk, helped me navigate getting a loan and made suggestions on store layout. On the first day he pushed me through the front door and remained a quiet support in the background ever since.
Okay finally back to the WHY. I love apparel. I love people and I love when people feel amazing in their clothes. The term “lifestyle apparel” was fairly new in 2012 but that was exactly what we were. I found brands that are of great quality, that people could look good and feel good in while walking the dog, running errands, hanging at home but also climbing a mountain and traveling the world. The response in our small town was amazing! There were already a couple of stores that sold dresses, high fashion and items for a more mature customer but nothing like this. We were casual, comfortable, sophisticated and chic and since then have only become more so.
From DAY ONE the most important thing for our business was this: our goal was to make people feel amazing! We were not going to sell something that didn’t make people light up, that didn’t fit well or push multiple items into their bags. We wanted a positive experience in store that translated to compliments, helped with self-esteem and empowerment. Almost 10 years later we still feel exactly the same. Our brands have evolved, our stores have evolved but the desire to elevate moods, experiences and lives through clothes, footwear and gear is still the reason WHY.
Sue
xo
Next up: What I quickly learned from retail about people…