Owning a business is not something that Vicki Tompkins grew up dreaming of, but in her now decades of entrepreneurship she said she SA国际影视传媒渓oves every aspect of it.SA国际影视传媒�
Tompkins has run the For Men Only (FMO) and For Women Only (FWO) downtown clothing boutiques since they opened in 1999 and 2001 respectively.
SA国际影视传媒淚t's not perfect every day by any means, but for the most part, it's great,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
Even through the quiet early pandemic days, the stores stayed open.
SA国际影视传媒淎ctually just coming into the store, even if nobody came in, was just really nice to be able to come in and sort of calm down and not be sitting at home freaking out,SA国际影视传媒� Tompkins said.
When the losses hit, Tompkins laid off almost all her staff SA国际影视传媒� upwards of nine SA国际影视传媒� though she has since been able to bring back a full time employee in each store.
She said there was a lot of thinking SA国际影视传媒渙h my god ISA国际影视传媒檓 going to bankrupt,SA国际影视传媒� but then SA国际影视传媒淚 just started persevering and started to really try and calm down.SA国际影视传媒�
Tompkins reduced store hours and worked to SA国际影视传媒渂eef upSA国际影视传媒� her online presence through social media and the storesSA国际影视传媒� websites. FMO and FWO began offering delivery services and taking shopping appointments so patrons could come in one at a time to look around without fear of coming into contact with other residentsSA国际影视传媒� household bubbles.
She said the losses are significant but that sheSA国际影视传媒檚 SA国际影视传媒渟till here.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淚 still eat well, I drink wine on Fridays,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 not great, but itSA国际影视传媒檚 fine.SA国际影视传媒�
Government assistance has also helped, she said. SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 one of the reasons ISA国际影视传媒檓 still open.SA国际影视传媒�
By trade, Tompkins is an artist.
She didnSA国际影视传媒檛 have a background in business at the time, but when the possibility of opening a store came up in discussion with friends, it seemed like a way of bringing together the skills Tompkins had amassed through various jobs throughout her life.
SA国际影视传媒淪ometimes you just fall into jobs. It just sort of happens.SA国际影视传媒�
She acknowledges there are challenges to running a store and frequently facing risk head on, but when Tompkins said she SA国际影视传媒渓oves doing this,SA国际影视传媒� sheSA国际影视传媒檚 quick to list the reasons why.
SA国际影视传媒淚 like the buying, I like doing the books, I love the customers. I love finding people things.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淚t's very satisfying to sell somebody something when they come out and they love it and you love it, when you both just feel like SA国际影视传媒榶es, this is the right thing for you right now.SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒�
From working in a small town for so many years, Tompkins said sheSA国际影视传媒檚 gotten to know the people who come into the store. That way, when she does the buying, she said she really knows who the product is for and say SA国际影视传媒渢hat line will really work for that person.SA国际影视传媒�
On the other hand, Tompkins said it can be a challenge to manage customersSA国际影视传媒� expectations. She decides personally each item that is sold in the store and as fashions change, so do the products. When customers come in looking for the same pair of pants they bought five years ago, or a specific boot, she has to remind them SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 not Amazon.SA国际影视传媒� She said it is just another way that customer service fascinates her.
To other entrepreneurs, Tompkins said SA国际影视传媒測ou really have to find your passion.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 a lot more to jobs, as everybody knows, than what meets the eye,SA国际影视传媒� she said, so you have to have a love of the work to keep you motivated.
Tompkins emphasized the importance of buying local, in Yellowknife and across the country.
SA国际影视传媒淚 think it's really opened people's eyes to, SA国际影视传媒榠f you don't support us, then we're not going to be here.SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒�
