- Story by Tess Van Straaten Photographs by Don Denton

Fashionista and entrepreneur Barbara Hubbard can乌鸦传媒檛 believe she乌鸦传媒檚 been in business for more than three decades.

乌鸦传媒淚t actually feels quite wonderful and I don乌鸦传媒檛 know where the time has gone,乌鸦传媒� says the owner of Baden-Baden Boutique and Barbara乌鸦传媒檚 Boutique. 乌鸦传媒淚t certainly doesn乌鸦传媒檛 feel like 35 years, but I went in with a very positive attitude that this will be it, I乌鸦传媒檓 loving it and I will have this cute little boutique 乌鸦传媒� and the cute little boutique really grew!乌鸦传媒�

After raising two daughters and managing her former husband乌鸦传媒檚 law firm for a decade, Barbara found herself out of work when he was appointed a judge. She says it was a pivotal moment in her life.

乌鸦传媒淚 had to really think about what I wanted to do,乌鸦传媒� Barbara explains. 乌鸦传媒淚 took a variety of courses. I did a securities course because I thought maybe I wanted to be a financial broker, but I realized it wasn乌鸦传媒檛 for me because I couldn乌鸦传媒檛 see myself selling something that I can乌鸦传媒檛 completely know or touch or see.乌鸦传媒�

With a passion for fashion, good connections to the German fashion scene and encouragement from friends overseas, Barbara decided to open her first store in 1984 乌鸦传媒� Baden-Baden Boutique on Fort Street 乌鸦传媒� and she hasn乌鸦传媒檛 looked back.

乌鸦传媒淚 jumped into the clothing business with no real experience in it and I learned fast,乌鸦传媒� the 76-year-old says. 乌鸦传媒淲e all need to dress, we can乌鸦传媒檛 run away from it, so we might as well have fun and do it well.乌鸦传媒�

After success in downtown Victoria, Barbara decided to expand the business and she opened a store on Vancouver乌鸦传媒檚 South Granville Street with two partners. But she says it was probably her biggest mistake.

乌鸦传媒淚t was a holy nightmare and it was just asking for chaos,乌鸦传媒� Barbara says of the partnership with a man in Europe and another in Canada. 乌鸦传媒淥ne piece of advice would be to do what you have in mind by yourself so you乌鸦传媒檙e not dependent on somebody else.乌鸦传媒�

The store closed after a couple of years and it was a tough lesson, but Barbara says she still has customers coming over from Vancouver to shop because of that store.

Learning from the setback, the next expansion was to Sidney, where Barbara opened a second Baden-Baden outlet and then purchased property on Beacon Avenue for the store.

乌鸦传媒淚 was the first one in the fashion industry to come to Sidney and it乌鸦传媒檚 astonishing how many people have followed me,乌鸦传媒� she says. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 quite a fashion promenade now.乌鸦传媒�

The expansion continued with Barbara乌鸦传媒檚 Boutique and a shoe store, but the retail dynamo had to make some tough decisions a few years ago. She closed the shoe store to focus on clothing, and she also decided to shut her downtown store in order to focus on the Sidney locations.

乌鸦传媒淚 decided I really wanted to make my life smaller,乌鸦传媒� she says. 乌鸦传媒淚 had the clothing store on Fort Street for 27 years and it was very hard to close it after so many years, but I乌鸦传媒檓 grateful I did because I乌鸦传媒檓 so happy to be out of downtown.乌鸦传媒�

Barbara says parking was a major issue downtown and a deterrent for many customers. She admits not everyone is happy about making the trek to Sidney, but she says parking is easy and it乌鸦传媒檚 becoming a popular destination for afternoon or all-day outings.

乌鸦传媒淚 say, bring out your survival gear and come out to Sidney and have a nice lunch and do your shopping on Beacon Avenue.乌鸦传媒�

Barbara says she乌鸦传媒檚 learned a lot about customer service over the years and how to keep staff happy. Many have been with her a long time and she believes they乌鸦传媒檙e a big part of her long-term success.

乌鸦传媒淲ithout a happy group of employees we would not have lasted as long,乌鸦传媒� she says. 乌鸦传媒淚t takes a whole group of people to do it, and my best advice is don乌鸦传媒檛 make the business completely dependent on you because you乌鸦传媒檒l get burnt out and won乌鸦传媒檛 be able to operate long.乌鸦传媒�

Aside from closing stores, Barbara says, she hasn乌鸦传媒檛 really faced any major challenges. But when it comes to tough decisions, she has another piece of good advice.

乌鸦传媒淢y theory is I don乌鸦传媒檛 make decisions today,乌鸦传媒� Barbara explains.

乌鸦传媒淚 always make sure I have a night to think about it before I do it and usually the next day the decision is much easier and the problem isn乌鸦传媒檛 as big.乌鸦传媒�

Barbara still travels to Europe twice a year to visit showrooms and select items from the various collections for her stores. It乌鸦传媒檚 a creative part of the job she loves, but it also comes with its challenges.

乌鸦传媒淭he big challenge is always to choose the right merchandise for the people that you乌鸦传媒檙e serving 乌鸦传媒� that is the forever lasting challenge,乌鸦传媒� she says. 乌鸦传媒淲hen I乌鸦传媒檓 over in Europe and I see all these wonderful collections, I have to think, what乌鸦传媒檚 right for Sidney? What乌鸦传媒檚 right for the island? What乌鸦传媒檚 right for the west coast? And that is always a challenge.乌鸦传媒�

But it乌鸦传媒檚 a challenge this septuagenarian doesn乌鸦传媒檛 plan to relinquish anytime soon.

乌鸦传媒淚 intend to carry on for quite a while still,乌鸦传媒� Barbara laughs. 乌鸦传媒淚 have no retirement plans because I love it. Why would I give it up?乌鸦传媒�

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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