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April 2015


smart biz Good things growing in Manitoba By Brenlee Coates T Christopher Saniuk and Amanda Remond, the couple behind Normandy Shoppe.


he Normandy Shoppe family is such a Corydon Avenue staple that it’s hard to believe the men’s fashion and


lifestyle shop just celebrated its first year in business. “It just feels like we’ve been here forever,”


confirms Amanda Remond, one-third of the shop’s fixtures, which include her partner Christopher Saniuk and their store greeter, a mini auburn-coated goldendoodle named Norman. It’s their familiarity that makes them


feel like veterans to the scene – a routine of easy conversation follows Norman’s eager welcome. Tey’ve slipped comfortably into a home that didn’t immediately seem like an obvious fit. “Te entire place was this bubbling white


plastic paneling… Chris was like, ‘Tis is the space.’ “I couldn’t picture it,” says Amanda. What used to house kitschy shops like


Sugar Mountain and Dingo’s Wild & Crazy Dogs, the couple turned into one of the fin- est displays of reclaimed wood and indus- trial decor in the city. Tey spent nearly an entire summer gathering wood for Chris to complete the renovation. When it opened in November 2013, the


store had so much identity that it quickly cemented its place in Winnipeg’s psyche. Norman’s name was even chosen in hom- age to the shop, so he could be known as the “Prince of Normandy.” Time has flown for Winnipeg’s first fam-


ily of Normandy, witnessing brisk growth in the store’s customer base and interest flourish from brand reps. Amanda reflects on Normandy’s humble


The adorable Norman is the resident store greeter at Normandy.


beginnings, back when they had an unfin- ished store and no business clout to speak


Why it works Many things distinguish Normandy in


the local market – while there are places like Old Faithful Shop and Neighbour Shop in Vancouver with heritage-driven decor and a return to old-school fine craftsmanship – the same things firmly plant Normandy in a league of its own here. Te high-end brands chosen are ethically


made (mostly in the United States), and are meant to endure. Brands like Filson have been quality assured since 1897, and were previously unavailable in Winnipeg.


Good brands that represent good people page 11


smartbizwpg.com


Te first family of Normandy establishes community on Corydon Avenue


Men's products like Prospector Co. beard oil is hard for them to keep on shelves.


of. “We had to go meet (brand reps) just to be like, ‘Hey, we’re normal people. We’re going to represent your brands well.’” Tis year, they returned to the annual


New York Men’s Market Week, and found that exhibiting brands knew them and actively sought out to work with them. “It was like a 180 – people wanted to meet us,” she says.


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Futurpreneur Manitoba


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Wilderness Supply


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Floodway Print Company


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