Retailer Spotlight: Nathalie-Roze & Co.
Nathalie-Roze & Co. is an indie designer boutique & DIY studio located in Leslieville. They carry over 60 Canadian lines as well as numerous eco-fab creations made in-house. Their most popular DIY (do-it-yourself) workshops are Beginner Silkscreening, Soap-Making and Sewing 101. If you're in the area, you'll need to swing by for a scoop or two of their delicious ice cream during the summer!
"Every year we also organize several events and fundraisers, including our charity tea-party & handmade market Crafternoon Tea. And, Uber-SWAP, our always crammed used & vintage clothing exchange, which is held quarterly in Leslieville (note: the next one's onJanuary 19th!).
We're known for a unique mix of quirky-cool gifts & wearables that won't bite your wallet (& are eco-friendly without a granola vibe) - expect good tunes, plus consistently honest, warm & above-average service." - Nathalie-Roze (Nathalie-Roze & Co.)
What inspired your business? How did you get started?
When I opened in 2006 there weren't many boutiques showcasing affordable wearables & gifts by emerging Toronto designer/crafters. I'd always thought I might open a shop with a hyper-local focus and a hands-on creative element, if the right opportunity surfaced.
I'd been selling my own eco-friendly designs for years - wholesaling to stores & selling at weekend markets in France & the UK, then later at the One of a Kind show for a few years as well as organizing various DIY events (eg. Crafternoon Tea).
Interest in handmade local goods was starting to percolate around that time in Toronto, but only a few retail venues were dedicated to local makers. So, when I came across the charming space that's now my shop/studio, I jumped on it. Over the last 6 years, we've seduced a lot of people into shopping locally.
I did some modelling & (ahem) acting as a tween - nothing serious, but I had the entrepreneurial bug early. Encouraged by an art teacher who bought the first earrings I made, I started street-vending my creations on weekends and several summers starting in grade 9.
3 Favourite local designers...
Toronto has such a flood of talent - it's really hard to narrow it down to three, but I'm a long-time fan of Snoflake (especially her jackets & silk tunics) and the fab revamped sweaters by Embody. More recently, I've been crushing on Sara Duke's knock-out frocks.
3 favourite independent retailers...
This is another very tricky list to edit down to three, as there are so many inspired indie boutiques these days. That said, I love the beautifully curated all-Canadian merch at Distill, General 54's perfect mix of local contemporary and vintage pieces (in Montreal) and the rich index of swoon-worthy handcrafted jewellery at Made You Look.
ShopGirls, Gadabout & Coalminer's Daughter also deserve a nod.
One item in your store that everyone wants but isn't for sale?
It's a toss-up between our 1940s cash register and my pink rotary-dial telephone.
Favourite place to grab a...
quick lunch: I often scoot over to Upper Crust for their Thai Veg/Tofu Curry, but sometimes opt for the Southern BBQ offerings at Leslieville Pumps (it's a gas station & restaurant).
My fave neighbourhood brunch/lunch is at Lady Marmalade - superb baked French Toast (a food-orgasm), a 1970s diner aesthetic & lovely servers.
morning coffee: I'm actually not a coffee gal, though Leslieville is gourmet java row. I do like industrial space at Te Aro (used to be a mechanic's den), but I'm more likely to splurge on an avocado/mango smoothie at Belmonte Raw (or treat myself to a Chai latte).
after work drinks: I love the laidback, warm vibe at The Avro - always good tunes & fun events (eg. Disco Bingo, preserve swaps). I also enjoy the country pub atmosphere at Ceili Cottage. They serve the most legit British-style sticky toffee pudding I've had in Toronto and they make a nice Amaretto Sour too, even though they'd rather I order whisky. Bonus: they've erected a yurt on their patio for the winter.
Also keen for McQueen's to open...they're steps away (Pape & QueenE) and reportedly launching this month in the old Hello Toast space.
If you weren't doing this - what else would you be doing?
I've always worn a few hats simultaneously, and I like that variety. I currently juggle running the shop (an act in extreme multi-tasking in itself) with designing and freelance writing re: fashion, music and small business as well as doing some consulting/coaching with creative start-ups and emerging designers. If I wasn't in indie retail, my work life might be a different mix of similar things or revisiting arts therapy (which I did in the UK with at-risk youth).
Are you a morning person or a night owl?
I'm a split-brain Gemini, so both - most productive in the mornings, but creative inspiration typically hits around the witching hour.
Any advice or words of wisdom for budding entrepreneurs?
There are sooo many things to I'd love to share with small business newbies, although it's hard to avoid Oprah-isms or ranting. For starters, being self-employed can be hugely satisfying, but it's no cake walk - you'll likely be the toughest boss you've ever had. So, try to avoid trend-driven projects, and choose a path that fuses your most authentic (& sustainable) passions.
There will be unexpected left-turns, hiccups and seemingly colossal challenges in the mix, but know that your creativity, resourcefulness, people skills and dedication have more currency than cash in the long-term.
Embrace social media in the most genuine way you can - without an active on-line presence, you'll be invisible to 2/3 of your potential clients/customers. Collaborate with your neighbours & industry contacts.
And, lastly, it's way too easy to work lunatic hours (usually extra-crazy in the 1st year of business) - triggering premature burn-out.
It's normal to work hard, but try to police your life/work balance (every fempreneur I know struggles with this). Don't neglect your health or the key relationships that nourish you. Seriously. Take time off regularly to recharge and make sure fun is a key ingredient at and away from work.
Check out what Nathalie-Roze & Co. has in store!
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