Lisa Fleischer / Small Business Owner / X-Treme Clothing Boutique

X-Treme Clothing Boutique is an upscale Ladies' Boutique located in the quaint beach town of Tsawwassen in Delta, BC. The boutique is a family collaboration of 3 generations of women. They burst on the local fashion scene in November 2017 opening a shabby chic crystal filled boutique filled with unique finds, quality brands and the latest trends.

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING SMALL BUSINESSES RIGHT NOW? HOW CAN PEOPLE HELP?

I think bouncing back from Covid is still a focus and getting to whatever the new normal is. I feel like many people say they "shop local" and don't. It's a focus for me to put that phrase into action. We promote shopping local all the time on our social media and wish more businesses would try and drive this message as well to build up our communities. As a small business advocate, I am always helping and supporting other businesses and navigating the programs available.

HOW DID YOU BECOME INTERESTED IN THE FASHION INUSTRY?

My mother owned a boutique in Los Angeles and I was taught everything from the ground up about running a successful boutique. From there I started as a Key Holder in a major retailer and was promoted within 2 weeks to management. Since then I have worked in all areas of Store, Territory and Executive Management in both the retail and wholesale side of fashion.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT EDDIE'S? DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVOURITE PRODUCTS?

We love Eddie's for all our retail needs. The pricing is always fair and the service is always top-notch. Our fave products these days are shipping supplies and paper bags which we will be placing an order for soon to fulfil orders of our amazing Slava Sweatshirt Campaign raising money for Ukraine.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO IS OPENING THEIR FIRST RETAIL STORE?

Take your time and watch your ordering. Investigate your brands and figure out what will set you apart. We are not like any store in our area on purpose. My advice would be don't copy other stores in your area and chart your own path. This is a pet peeve after what I've seen, so do your research and make sure your brand partners have your best interest.

WHAT DO YOU DO TO KEEP UP WITH THE INDUSTRY?

I am a fashion designer who has been in the industry since I was a teenager and I have always had a pulse on fashion. I keep up by forecasting the fashion industry and watching trends. Even though we are not trendy fast fashion in our store, it's important to know what's out there. We don't really follow trends, we choose to make our own. We just started a campaign out of the boutique on a mission to help Ukraine. We design and manufacture products called 'Slava Sweatshirts' with the proceeds donated to two Ukrainian causes. We have many projects in the works so the future is exciting.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM FITTING A CLOTHING STORE & MERCHANDISING PRODUCTS?

We have always been a model store for merchandising. Our window displays have been shared far and wide. The displays in a store are hugely important for those who need inspiration or just seeing the possibilities of the garment in action. Our window is always talked about both in town and over our social media and is hugely important to our business. No matter where we are, our window will always be fabulous!

WHEN IT COMES TO X-TREME CLOTHING BOUTIQUE, WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?

I am most proud of our commitment to our customers and our ability to give back and pay it forward. We don't want to just be known as a clothing store, our boutique's mission is so much more than a few garments. We utilize our connections for good which brings light to not only our business but our community. We hope to inspire others to follow. We also try to bring the very best in quality with a strong focus on being different from other stores all while empowering local women-owned entrepreneurs when possible. These are some of the things we are most proud of.

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