Call Of The Wild

It has always been my dream to open a clothing store. I had wanted to open one in Hamilton but the city never seemed right for it. About a month ago, I spoke to a friend of a friend, Bridget Coruzzi, owner of Home on James St. North and she told me about how she set up her store. I asked her some personal questions, mainly financial ones and something clicked. I realized that it was totally possible for me to do this. For some unfounded reason, I had this idea that it was never going to happen for me and listening to Bridget made me realize I could really do this.

It was like I had been planning this in my head for years because I literally got a store up in running in a matter of two weeks. It wasn't easy and it was my friends and family who were huge contributors to the store getting ready in time for Supercrawl, a yearly event in which James St. North is shut down, good music is played and lots and lots of vendors and artists set up shop.

I figured it would be free advertising and a chance to make back some of the money I had put into the store. Well, it turned out to be better than that. I ended up making a profit, a tiny one at that, but still. The response was like nothing I could have imagined. I now have regulars, even though I have only been up and running for less than two weeks and customers are telling friends to come check out the store. I don't want to sound like I'm bragging but I think its important that we listen to what we really want to do rather than what we think we should do. For so long I thought I had to work in some kind of administrative capacity, denying myself my creative side. I know that it is not possible for everyone to be able to fulfill themselves creatively but if there is something you love, just start somewhere. It will only be rewarding.

I want to thank my family and friends for being so supportive and so instrumental in Hawk & Sparrow's success (that's the name of the store, which by the way is a vintage and used clothing store in Hamilton, Ontario, if you didn't know).

This blog will be a space to share with you my inspirations and store stories. I hope you enjoy.