What brought you to Oak Bay?
Well, it's a bit of a story. I was married for 20 years and my husband and I separated. It was quite devastating. I stayed in the Cowichan Valley in our family home for a year after he left and went on leave from the school district.
My mom and I had been to Oak Bay a few months before the split and had met the owner of Twice As Nice, Debra. I told her that I wanted to open up a consignment store in the Cowichan Valley and she said to me, 'Look, if you ever decide to, give me a call and I'll mentor you.' So, I thought this was my opportunity; my kids were older, in high school and one was going to university. So I opened up a store with my best friend in Duncan called Goldstone and Debra mentored me through it.
But a month after having Goldstone, Debra told me she wanted to retire and asked if I'd like to buy the store. I phoned my friend Roby and we ended up buying it. At first, we commuted most of the time from the Cowichan Valley, sharing operations of both our stores but then it made more sense that I would take over Twice as Nice and she took over Goldstone.
My whole focus became building Twice as Nice and Oak Bay Tourism. At the time Estevan was pretty sleepy compared to how it is now. I joined both the Oak Bay Tourism Committee and Tourism Victoria Committee to help build Twice As Nice, bring people to Estevan Village and get involved in the community. Madone from the Oak Bay Hotel and the whole committee have been so helpful and welcoming.
I started focusing on community development, such as sip 'n shops within the village. I wanted to make it a more vibrant place.
What motivated you to want to build a community in Estevan Village?
It was just a blessing because I thought it's kind of a second chance and another opportunity to start over. And I mean, every day that I go to work – I ride my bike or walk or drive – I just am so grateful that I landed here.
How long have you lived in Oak Bay?
I've lived in Oak Bay for two years and owned the store for three.
Have you seen Estevan Village change in the years you've owned the shop?
Yes. I would say that people want to see more community development within our village now. It's amazing to cater to the tourists that are coming to Oak Bay as well, and I've noticed a huge change; a lot, a lot of tourists are coming to Oak Bay.
What's your favourite thing to do in Oak Bay?
I love to ride my beach cruiser with my Shih Tzu in the back on the basket. I ride through all the beautiful streets and imagine living in one of the beautiful cottages.
Who are some of your favourite fashion designers?
Stella McCartney for being a pioneer in focusing on sustainability, eco-friendly materials and creating ethical production practises. Coco Chanel for introducing us to everyone’s go-to wardrobe staple, the little black dress. Chanel empowered women with fashion that matched their evolving roles in society.
Do you have any favourite songs that you're listening to these days?
Well, you know what, I'm an old soul and my kids tease me about it all the time. I always have oldies on; I listen to a lot of soul music and The Supremes. I’m also a big fan of hip-hop and old-school gangster rap from the '90s.
Who are your role models?
I was very lucky to have a mom who started as a hairstylist in the '60s in London and came to the Cowichan Valley to start her own hair salon and spa which thrived for over 20 years. During that time I was able to see such strong women in my life who owned businesses and helped build the downtown Duncan business community.
I'm also grateful that I have such a great relationship with the ladies who own consignment stores here in Oak Bay.
What's something you'd like to do in the future?
We have the highest number of registered resale businesses per capita in all of Canada, so that's spurred a lot of us to speak about putting on consignment crawls. I’d also like to facilitate more private tours to the Estevan and Oak Bay Villages.
What's your favourite thing about owning a consignment store?
My favourite thing is to make people feel good when they come into the store and when they leave. I love the clothes, of course, but it's more than that. I have a lot of clients that I have become close with and the store has become a place where the kettle's put on.
Last week, a client came who is sick with cancer, and I was able to help her find clothes that would keep her warm while she was going through treatment. Another lady comes in with her mom – her mom's in a home here – and they have the store to themselves and just have really good quality time. Or women who come in with their friends after they've gone next door and had Thai, or visited other places on Estevan. The experiences with customers are my favourite.
Answers have been edited for clarity. This article is from Tweed magazine.
