- Story by Tess Van Straaten Photographs by Don Denton

Fashionista and entrepreneur Barbara Hubbard can91裸聊视频檛 believe she91裸聊视频檚 been in business for more than three decades.

91裸聊视频淚t actually feels quite wonderful and I don91裸聊视频檛 know where the time has gone,91裸聊视频� says the owner of Baden-Baden Boutique and Barbara91裸聊视频檚 Boutique. 91裸聊视频淚t certainly doesn91裸聊视频檛 feel like 35 years, but I went in with a very positive attitude that this will be it, I91裸聊视频檓 loving it and I will have this cute little boutique 91裸聊视频� and the cute little boutique really grew!91裸聊视频�

After raising two daughters and managing her former husband91裸聊视频檚 law firm for a decade, Barbara found herself out of work when he was appointed a judge. She says it was a pivotal moment in her life.

91裸聊视频淚 had to really think about what I wanted to do,91裸聊视频� Barbara explains. 91裸聊视频淚 took a variety of courses. I did a securities course because I thought maybe I wanted to be a financial broker, but I realized it wasn91裸聊视频檛 for me because I couldn91裸聊视频檛 see myself selling something that I can91裸聊视频檛 completely know or touch or see.91裸聊视频�

With a passion for fashion, good connections to the German fashion scene and encouragement from friends overseas, Barbara decided to open her first store in 1984 91裸聊视频� Baden-Baden Boutique on Fort Street 91裸聊视频� and she hasn91裸聊视频檛 looked back.

91裸聊视频淚 jumped into the clothing business with no real experience in it and I learned fast,91裸聊视频� the 76-year-old says. 91裸聊视频淲e all need to dress, we can91裸聊视频檛 run away from it, so we might as well have fun and do it well.91裸聊视频�

After success in downtown Victoria, Barbara decided to expand the business and she opened a store on Vancouver91裸聊视频檚 South Granville Street with two partners. But she says it was probably her biggest mistake.

91裸聊视频淚t was a holy nightmare and it was just asking for chaos,91裸聊视频� Barbara says of the partnership with a man in Europe and another in Canada. 91裸聊视频淥ne piece of advice would be to do what you have in mind by yourself so you91裸聊视频檙e not dependent on somebody else.91裸聊视频�

The store closed after a couple of years and it was a tough lesson, but Barbara says she still has customers coming over from Vancouver to shop because of that store.

Learning from the setback, the next expansion was to Sidney, where Barbara opened a second Baden-Baden outlet and then purchased property on Beacon Avenue for the store.

91裸聊视频淚 was the first one in the fashion industry to come to Sidney and it91裸聊视频檚 astonishing how many people have followed me,91裸聊视频� she says. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 quite a fashion promenade now.91裸聊视频�

The expansion continued with Barbara91裸聊视频檚 Boutique and a shoe store, but the retail dynamo had to make some tough decisions a few years ago. She closed the shoe store to focus on clothing, and she also decided to shut her downtown store in order to focus on the Sidney locations.

91裸聊视频淚 decided I really wanted to make my life smaller,91裸聊视频� she says. 91裸聊视频淚 had the clothing store on Fort Street for 27 years and it was very hard to close it after so many years, but I91裸聊视频檓 grateful I did because I91裸聊视频檓 so happy to be out of downtown.91裸聊视频�

Barbara says parking was a major issue downtown and a deterrent for many customers. She admits not everyone is happy about making the trek to Sidney, but she says parking is easy and it91裸聊视频檚 becoming a popular destination for afternoon or all-day outings.

91裸聊视频淚 say, bring out your survival gear and come out to Sidney and have a nice lunch and do your shopping on Beacon Avenue.91裸聊视频�

Barbara says she91裸聊视频檚 learned a lot about customer service over the years and how to keep staff happy. Many have been with her a long time and she believes they91裸聊视频檙e a big part of her long-term success.

91裸聊视频淲ithout a happy group of employees we would not have lasted as long,91裸聊视频� she says. 91裸聊视频淚t takes a whole group of people to do it, and my best advice is don91裸聊视频檛 make the business completely dependent on you because you91裸聊视频檒l get burnt out and won91裸聊视频檛 be able to operate long.91裸聊视频�

Aside from closing stores, Barbara says, she hasn91裸聊视频檛 really faced any major challenges. But when it comes to tough decisions, she has another piece of good advice.

91裸聊视频淢y theory is I don91裸聊视频檛 make decisions today,91裸聊视频� Barbara explains.

91裸聊视频淚 always make sure I have a night to think about it before I do it and usually the next day the decision is much easier and the problem isn91裸聊视频檛 as big.91裸聊视频�

Barbara still travels to Europe twice a year to visit showrooms and select items from the various collections for her stores. It91裸聊视频檚 a creative part of the job she loves, but it also comes with its challenges.

91裸聊视频淭he big challenge is always to choose the right merchandise for the people that you91裸聊视频檙e serving 91裸聊视频� that is the forever lasting challenge,91裸聊视频� she says. 91裸聊视频淲hen I91裸聊视频檓 over in Europe and I see all these wonderful collections, I have to think, what91裸聊视频檚 right for Sidney? What91裸聊视频檚 right for the island? What91裸聊视频檚 right for the west coast? And that is always a challenge.91裸聊视频�

But it91裸聊视频檚 a challenge this septuagenarian doesn91裸聊视频檛 plan to relinquish anytime soon.

91裸聊视频淚 intend to carry on for quite a while still,91裸聊视频� Barbara laughs. 91裸聊视频淚 have no retirement plans because I love it. Why would I give it up?91裸聊视频�

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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