- Story by Lauren Edwards Photography by Don Denton
Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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As Chris Manley whistles a jazzy tune through his teeth, I realize he91裸聊视频檚 a man of many talents. And indeed, in addition to his impressive whistling abilities, he sings and excels in business as co-owner of Resthouse Sleep Solutions 91裸聊视频� an organic mattress and bedding store in Duncan.
Vancouver-born Chris has been whistling since he was five years old, taught by his father while living in Richmond. He tricked his teachers by disguising his whistling abilities through his teeth, and 91裸聊视频渕astered the art of the different sounds and the noodling to it.91裸聊视频�
After graduating high school, he worked for a corporate mattress company in Vancouver for 15 years. As a top salesperson and sales trainer, his career in the sleep industry was set, but the one-size-fits-all method of sales didn91裸聊视频檛 feel right.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 an old way [of looking at it],91裸聊视频� Chris explains. 91裸聊视频淲hich is just alarming because [noramlly] two people sleep in a bed, and each person has different needs.91裸聊视频�
When he left the corporate world and moved on to Duncan, Chris decided to change his lifestyle, starting with improving his health through eating organically. With the introduction to organic foods, he 91裸聊视频渟tarted to clue in that conventional mattresses are not as healthy as we91裸聊视频檝e been told they are.91裸聊视频� And, he adds, this is not evening considering their environmental impact 91裸聊视频� with around 91裸聊视频�30 million mattresses a year going to landfills in North America.91裸聊视频� With the world focussing on product sustainability, down to its roots, he thought, it makes sense that a community with a high-level interest in organics would want to embrace holistic sleeping habits too.
91裸聊视频淎s a kid, I remember complaining about taking naps, which seemed like a requirement. As an adult, having a good night91裸聊视频檚 sleep is vital.
91裸聊视频淥nce I don91裸聊视频檛 get enough sleep, my sugar addiction kicks in because I91裸聊视频檓 trying to get that jolt, and that actually hurts my brain. Then I start to get anxiety, then I get mild depression, and it91裸聊视频檚 just this cycle.91裸聊视频�
He adds: 91裸聊视频淏ecause when you are laying there, if you91裸聊视频檙e getting hot, you91裸聊视频檙e tossing and turning, and you91裸聊视频檙e hurting, well that kicks in the brain91裸聊视频t91裸聊视频檚 ultimately what discomforts people. When you get into your 50s, 60s and 70s, if you91裸聊视频檙e not sleeping well, you can get sick.91裸聊视频�
Chris and his business and life partner, Dawn Howlett, first launched a mattress business from their garage. Next, they opened an organic mattress gallery, complete with spotlights and showrooms. From there they set up shop at the Community Farm Store, and then, when space for a store opened up with a music studio above, Chris was able to combine his two passions 91裸聊视频� music and the mattress business91裸聊视频� under one roof.
Chis says the idea for the business had always been in concept form, but when 91裸聊视频渙ut popped of Dawn91裸聊视频檚 mouth 91裸聊视频楻esthouse,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� the name helped solidify their idea.
Towels, linens, pillows and comforters at Resthouse are all made from organic cotton. The store also features handmade wooden furniture by David Martinello, as well as wool blankets made from angora goats and sheep on Ann Lindwall91裸聊视频檚 farm in Glenora, just outside of Duncan.
91裸聊视频淲e try to do as much locally as we can,91裸聊视频� says Chris, adding that the business recently expanded its ownership team by adding Olga Roberts.
Resthouse gets involved in different community events, working with schools and donating products to different foundations, and making sure mattresses are properly disposed of. Each time they deliver a new mattress, the old one (if it91裸聊视频檚 still in good shape) is donated to charity.
Dawn91裸聊视频檚 decoration of the store was influenced by hygge (pronounced 91裸聊视频渉oog-ga91裸聊视频�) 91裸聊视频� a Danish word meaning 91裸聊视频渁 mood of cosiness and comfortable conviviality with feelings of wellness and contentment.91裸聊视频�
The duo originally met at The Haven, which offered an improvisational a cappella singing course called 91裸聊视频淭he Singing Soul.91裸聊视频� Chris, who had always enjoyed music, says the course was 91裸聊视频渟erendipitous because that91裸聊视频檚 where I met Dawn, where I really got into music, and where I learned that the universe will actually give you what you want if you ask for it.91裸聊视频�
During the course, he was urged by instructor David Hatfield to 91裸聊视频渘o matter what, just keep singing.91裸聊视频�
So Chris continued his musical training on his own, playing a game of 91裸聊视频渨histle it or sing it.91裸聊视频� He put his entire music library on shuffle 91裸聊视频� deciding to either whistle or sing each tune as it played.
Eventually he met The Paradigm Shifters, an improvisation band, which was looking for a singer. Improvising, band members begin playing their instruments and 91裸聊视频渇ind ways through intuition in the moment to create songs,91裸聊视频� says Chris.
Years later, he91裸聊视频檚 now part of Dream Catcher, another improvisational band. Chris continues to pursue his passion for music, almost pushing himself, he says, to show his daughter, 14 and son, 12 91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频渨ho are both amazing singers91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� what it means to not give up on dreams.
In addition to singing, whistling and selling sleep solutions, Chris likes 91裸聊视频渉anging out with the kids,91裸聊视频� swimming in various lakes on the island and spending time at his parents91裸聊视频� home that has a 91裸聊视频渃abin-like91裸聊视频� feel to it.
Other favourite pastimes include tennis and bowling (he was a competitive bowler in his youth), and practising music with Dawn through looping 91裸聊视频� a device that records and plays back music. Dawn is a huge positive influence in his life, he says, as well as his parents, who taught him to treat others with 91裸聊视频渒indness and heart.91裸聊视频� He still carries this important lesson to 91裸聊视频渦nderstand that we all struggle, and if you just default to kindness, the universe takes care of you.91裸聊视频�
Now that91裸聊视频檚 something to whistle about.
Check out Chris91裸聊视频� company .
