Celebrating Small Business Month with Talking Shop
Talking Shop is a project to tell the stories of the local owners and entrepreneurs behind your favourite shopfronts, especially as we battle through these difficult times. On the Talking Shop blog, you can find conversations with local small business owners and leaders and news from the industry. The aim of Talking Shop is to create a community of #supportlocal advocates.
Mango’s Boutique
In July, Talking Shop posted the article, “In Conversation with Nicole & James // Mango’s Boutique”. Nicole and James, owners of Mango’s Boutique on Johnson Street, talk about the challenges and rewards of owning a business and the effects of the pandemic on retail stores. Scroll on for a few excerpts from the article or read the whole thing on Talking Shop’s website!
Photos by Michelle Ardiel of Talking Shop
What is Mango’s? How did you come up with the name?
“Our store name is a funny story! You need to put down three options for a business name when you register in case some of them are taken. We were only prepared with two, so for the third name we laughed and put down our favourite bar name in South Beach, Florida which is called Mango’s Bar & Grill. It ended up that our third choice was the one that got approved, so Mango’s Boutique & Accessories it is.” (Keep reading.)
Photos by Michelle Ardiel of Talking Shop
If you had to describe your shop to someone who hasn’t seen it, how would you describe it?
“Our store has something for everyone from casual to dressy. We have always taken risks in what we buy. People don’t come to us for a plain shirt!” (Keep reading.)
Can you tell us a bit about your personal style and aesthetic? How does the store and the designers you carry fit into that aesthetic?
“All of the brands we carry are something that I would go out and buy for myself or my husband — we’ve always brought in brands that we both would wear.” (Keep reading.)
Photos by Michelle Ardiel of Talking Shop
Where and how do you source your designers and products you carry in your store? Has that changed?
“Our clients’ style changes as they age, so we have to always be careful and pay attention to what they are wanting. Sometimes when you’ve carried a line too long it gets “old” … you have to learn to let go and find something new and fresh. Over all the years in business, it doesn’t get easier, it gets more challenging in what you bring in, as there are so many different styles and trends to accommodate for.” (Keep reading.)
Downtown Victoria’s favourite quote from Nicole and James’s interview:
“During all of this we have really enjoyed our family time, which is something positive that has come out of this.”
CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL POST.
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