B8 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, October 27, 1993

Sidewalkers combo

fills a market niche

Tt was an natural blend.

Lori Merrill sold fine cotton
clothing. Cindy Marleau sold
health-promoting foolwear,

Both women ran successful
businesses from. their homes, and
as they eventually discovered,
had more than a few customers in
common. *“My clientele was her
clientele,” says Lori, ~“‘Our pro-
ducts just melded.”

So the twa began to host sales
shows together, but it was only a
matter of time before they
merged their inventory into one
downtown storefront.

Thus, Sidewalkers was born.

“It was an easy transition,”’
says Cindy. She says the move
from home base to downtown last
May brought both structure and
freedom to her and Lori’s day-to-
day business. “It’s difficult to
keep set hours at home, and here,
we've got more space to work
with.”

That extra floor-space allows
Cindy and Lori to create an invit-
ing, and accessible atmosphere for
both their customers and. them-
selves. “"We wanted fresh Dow-
ers, the park bench outside, and
the sun streaming in. We want
people to be comfortable. drop-
ping by.” |

The move also made room for
an explosion of stock, in
Birkenstock shoes, natural fibre

We have the skills, the tools, ‘and

clothing for both men and wom-
en, and most notably, the vivid
batik rayons which proved an
immediate sell-out. “We first
opened on a Thursday,” Cindy
recalls, “and by Tucsday momn-
ing, we re-opened with no stock.”

Since then, the popularity of
Sidewalkers has soared, proving

there’s more to this shop than a

new, face on an existing enter-
prise. ““There was a niche for
something out of the ordinary,”
Lori explains, “and a. real
demand for natural fibres.
People are looking for colour-
ful, classic and versatile cloth-
ing and accessories.”
She secs the store’s success

as just one facet of a distinct
new marketplace that’s growing
based on similar enterprises.
“It’s all part of the revitaliza-
lion of downtown, enhancing
the character and flavour of the
community,”

At the same time, the spe-

cialties offered at Sidewaikers

add a unique zest to local attire. -

“We can really have fun with
what we wear,” says Lari.
But she emphasizes, “This

is much more than fashion.

These are clothes and shoes
people can really live in, and
know that the garments they
buy here will last. It feels good
to be able to offer that choice.”

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