Revelstoke Women’s Show highlights new small businesses

I figured that the Revelstoke Women’s Show would be a good place to find out about some new and exciting small businesses in Revelstoke, and I was certainly not disappointed. The lobby, lounge, and conference room on the second floor of the Hillcrest Hotel were full with displays from businesses of all types on Sunday. I caught up with the proprietors of a few of them, and tried to keep the focus on what’s new around town, including the home based businesses that might not have as much exposure as those with retail spaces.

New yoga studio opening on Mackenzie

Caroline Reid is putting the finishing touches on Tap Root Yoga Centre and hopes to open the studio at 215B Mackenzie Avenue in about mid-November.

Reid describes the studio as an urban loft space, featuring lots of natural light and locally sourced fir hardwood floors in the 2,300 square foot studio that will overlook Mackenzie. The space is being built to LEED environmental standards, which sets standards for not only energy efficiency, but also many factors that lead to buildings healthier for humans such as improved building materials.

Reid, who has been teaching for over two years, is trained in Vinyasa yoga, which is a variety of flow yoga. Vinyasa roughly translates to ‘breath-synchronized movement’ and coordinates movements and breathing between poses.

There will be a number of teachers at Tap Root, with Teen Yoga, Kids’ Yoga, Karma Yoga, Gentle Hatha, Level 1, Level 2 and more planned for the near future.

In addition to Tap Root, Balu Yoga, which is currently located on Illecillewaet Road, will be relocating to open a therapeutic yoga centre in a treatment rooms located right next to Tap Root. To find out more, contact Tap Root at (250) 837-YOGA.

Event and wedding planners fill niche

How many times have you had a conversation starting with, ‘Don’t you wish we had a (name your business) in Revelstoke?’

Blair Hollingsworth, Courtney Adam and Jill Brown saw a niche in the Revelstoke market and went for it, opening Wedgewood Weddings & Events a few months ago.

They offer “stress-free” weddings, parties, corporate events, theme parties and other special events. They maintain a stock of modern, up-to-date supplies for the weddings and events, ranging from chair covers, table clothes, table runners, champagne flutes, vases, candle holders, centrepieces, draping, backdrops and more.

Hollingsworth, who is just finishing up her certified wedding planner education, says the service just wasn’t offered in Revelstoke, leaving many paying much more to go out of town for their supplies.

Hollingsworth said they spent “a lot” of money getting their inventory established and they keep their stock up to date by purchasing rental items as their customers request them. They emphasize that throwing big events like a wedding doesn’t have to cost much.

What are the wedding trends these days? “No more poofy,” says Hollingsworth. Earthy weddings with green themes are popular, with organic touches such as potted plants, paper lanterns and natural materials such as wood in vogue.

They offer planning, consultation and packages of that range from total management of the event to just a few elements. Those looking for a taste of their work can find it at the upcoming Revelstoke Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards on October 24. Check them out at www.wedgewood-weddings.com.

Sissi brings new Revelstoke designs

Co-owners Sherri McEwan and Nicola McGarry started home-based Sissi T-Shirts in Revelstoke a year ago, and have since done shirts for a number of businesses in town, including Flowt Bicycles, Revelstoke Alpine Adventures, Valhalla Pure, Chocolate Summit and more. McGarry handles most of the design end of the business and also does the graphic design work for branding packages that include design, Web sites and more.

They also design and produce their own line of T-shirts with Revelstoke themes. Sissi can also custom design T-shirts and can handle requests starting with one shirt or as many as you can handle. They do heat press as well as silk screened printing and can also do bags, children’s clothing and a line of promotional products.

McGarry, who is also a painter, says the business and their products have been well received since they got started. “It’s local art and it has to do with Revelstoke. How much better does it get?”

Your next chance to check out their line of products in person will be at the Handmade Parade in November. They can be contacted by e-mail at sissiinc@yahoo.ca.

Home based business helps create the right work/life balance

I ran into the Interior Logging Association 2008 Member of the Year selling feminine and baby care heath products at the show.

Nakusp-based Crystal Larder won the nod for her instrumental role in organizing local logging contractors after the collapse of Pope & Talbot in 2007. After the Oregon-based logging company entered into bankruptcy, many local contractors were left high and dry as unsecured creditors. Many of them faced ruin, and the forests minister at the time maintained that it was just business, and since it was before the courts, it was out of his hands.

Larder dove head first into the complicated legal proceedings that included hearings in the U.S., Ontario and B.C, the whole time organizing and keeping the many contractors in the loop. Emerging as a spokesperson for the group, Larder eventually got an audience with the new forest minister, who assured her that he would resolve the situation. Eventually, the forests minister made the sale of some of the privately held land in the tree farm license conditional on the unsecured logging contractors getting paid what they were owed, which amounted to just under $5 million dollars.

So, how did Larder get into the small home-based business? She saw a presentation for Anion brand feminine hygiene products at the Nakusp Fall Fair and decided to get involved. Larder is a mother of three young children. With her logger husband often working away from home due to the continued drought in the harvesting sector in Arrow Lakes area, the home-based business worked well for Crystal and her business partner mom Brenda Eliason. They were also joined at the booth by Vernon-based representative Tracy Eddy.

Crystal explains that she markets the products directly to customers and is also getting sales into health food stores. The product markets its negative ion strip and other natural properties. They’ll be expanding into diapers and bandages in the near future. Larder says the company is also interested in finding a sales rep for the Revelstoke area.

To find out more, contact Crystal at (250) 265-4484 or email her at cglarder@telus.net.

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Organizers are reporting the show saw over 200 attend, raising about $11,000 for the Revelstoke Women’s Shelter.

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