Vancouver Island Trajectory: B.C. - Toronto - Montreal
Moved to Comox: 2013
Occupation: Owner of The Spool Sewing Studio in Courtenay
The number of times I had previously walked by The Spool Sewing Studio, in Courtenay, giving little more than a casual nod in the direction of the always eye-catching window displays, is incalculable. And one day, I stopped.
I could admit all this to Nicole Bertram -- the store's owner, founder, instructor, bookkeeper, marketer, and do-it-all-er. She just laughed.
"Oh yah, people do that all the time," she replied not missing a beat.
Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Nicole over mutual lunch breaks. We chatted through masks (we were both fighting possible somethings) and I had the chance to learn more about how this B.C.-born, local business owner made it back to her home province -- and home island -- the adjustments she's had to make, and the words of wisdom she's carried within her to build the business, life and community she loves.
What were your first impressions of the Comox Valley?
I just loved the downtown!
Any place that survived Amazon and the 2008 recession was a place I knew I wanted to be.
I remember walking up the street (in 2013 when visiting my mom and brother) and thinking this was such a magical place – like a less dramatic Nelson where you didn’t have to huff it up the hill!
I’d lived all around the country and seen what most downtowns looked like in smaller communities, and this was a place that had a backbone. My husband and I had wanted to come back to B.C. -- I was born in Victoria and he's originally from Nanaimo -- and though I really grew up “everywhere” (I grew up in a military family), I always told people that, really, I was from B.C.
How was your adjustment to moving to the Comox Valley from Montreal and Toronto?
The first adjustment was having the sidewalks to ourselves when we walked downtown!
We did have to get used to the lack of cultural diversity – I was used to going to the playgrounds in Montreal and having a Jamaican mom or Punjabi mom there, and there was always this old Italian couple... Moving here, I had to get adjusted to everyone looking like me. This was weird.
We decided to give ourselves five years to get to B.C. (when we were still living out east). We finally came here with no career plan, with just the thought that we'd give ourselves some time to decide what we wanted to be when ‘we grew up’.
My husband is an artist and he got a job teaching at North Island College. I was a professional barista for most of my 20s and was trying to find a way of making my life around being an extrovert living with ADHD.
We found it harder in the beginning when we moved here. It took us time to find other artist friends, but we eventually got there. And, of course, we also needed to get a car -- this was the first time we ever needed to!
What's the story behind starting your own business?
When I was doing my yoga teacher training in Toronto, I made myself a yoga tote bag. A friend then asked me to show her how to make one. I found myself really liking the teaching part of this experience (something that I had learned from my barista training) and wanting to continue sharing how to make things with others.
I dove in deeply and sewing became a place where everything clicked beautifully for me.
When we moved to the Comox Valley, the higher cost of living (that was 30-40% more than we were used to!) meant I needed to be more employed, which also meant less free creative time. I got a one-year grant from the Creative Employment Access Society and this allowed me to start my business, which I did at home so I could spend more time with our daughter, Lena. I also began teaching sewing classes to the kids that went to school across the street at Robb Road Elementary.
After that, I moved my business into the space above Anne’s Sewing on 5th street (Courtenay) into this 500-square foot place where I stayed for three years. Then we got to a place where all the classes were full, and I could take on the cost of extra space, so we moved here (on 4th street) in March 2019.
What would your former self have said if you told her, back in 2013, that one day you’d have your own business here?
Scott (my husband) actually did say this to me one day when we were walking out of a store in Toronto (before moving here). At the time, of course, I just laughed. But really, when I look back, this whole experience really unfolded in such a beautiful way.
It’s been very incremental, and I don’t feel the need to expand. It feels really settled. And with ADHD, I never thought I’d be able to run a business part. The teaching part, yes, but answering emails and all that on time...
What aspects of “Island life” have affected how you do business?
I’d say that here, anytime I’ve put up boundaries or expectations -- things like not answering my email or phone as quickly as others might -- people have generally given me praise or thanks. For me, that’s such a great role model for my daughter and for the younger generation in general.
In Toronto, people would probably say who do you think you are? On the Island, I find people appreciate this mentality a whole lot more. And I love that.
I don’t like the hustle and bustle. I don’t want to burn out. When I was a teenager, I used to listen a lot to what older people said about regrets in life... Most of them said things about working all the time. I want to look back and know that my life was about connecting with people; about spending time with friends.
What would you like newcomers to know about you and your business?
Whomever you are and whatever you’re bringing (as you), you are welcome here. I do my best to make people feel welcome at The Spool.
What advice do you have for newcomers to the Comox Valley?
Hobbies are a great way to get involved in the community. I encourage people to reach out to me, and even if the pricing here isn’t in your comfort zone come in, and let’s talk! We offer lots of free events and I’ll always try to make space available.
Knowing what you like and getting involved with other people who have the same interests can become “moments of communal effervescence”.
What does it mean, to you, to feel welcome or at home somewhere?
Seeing people I recognize, but don’t necessarily know helps make me feel rooted.
These little moments of connection are what make me feel welcome in a community.
What else might be the secret to making your store so welcoming to everyone?
You never know who comes in your door and whether they're there visiting, living short term, or here forever. I want everyone to feel that they have someone that will listen, to welcome them. It's a part of being a human and living side-by-side.
As I've gotten older, I've actually become more positive. A lot has to do with my daughter (who's now 10).
When I look at someone, I think everyone has a story to tell. I love the potential to listen, to learn where someone is from and how they got here.
LEARN MORE
Location: #4-420 Fitzgerald Ave., Courtenay, BC V9N 1M2
Hours: Tuesday 12-8pm; Wednesday 11am-5pm; Thursday 12-5pm; Saturday 11am-5pm. Closed Sundays and Mondays.
Phone: 250-890-3318
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