Big Changes For Our Little Store
AUTHOR | Leah Chevallier | May 12, 2023
As many of you have probably already seen on social media, our cute little Fort Langley store is slated to close at the end of May. So many small businesses are struggling in a post-covid world, knee deep in a recession and a world where Amazon is taking over at warp speed.
I will keep a portion of my hand-made goods for sale online and I will also be selling wholesale for our top sellers in some Fort Langley stores, will announce those locations later. If you own a brick-and-mortar store and would like our bath bombs, soaps, bug spray, arnica bars, face serums, rash cream etc.. please contact me for wholesale information. (Yes, my famous Rash Cream, Face Bars, Serums and Bug Spray will remain in production!)
There were several interested buyers (and am still open to selling) but sadly timing was off for most of them. I am selling fixtures and display items starting next month, lots of beautiful custom pieces, antiques, and clever upcycled units.
I want to thank my customers who have become like family over the past 7 years, the smiles, stories, and laughter are what made this business such a joy to create and watch grow. Sadly with COVID changing many buying habits, the explosion of Amazon, our manufacturers selling direct to customers, supply chain issues, and then of course, our infamous fire, it has taken too much of a toll on my bottom line and cash flow. With fire insurance alone, after legal fees, rental increases and other less-than-ideal fire insurance deductions, I have lost approximately $58,000 in total. For a little store like mine, it was too much to bounce back from.
I love Fort Langley, and I have loved every minute my little store graced the heart of our amazing town. My eldest and youngest of 3 kids both grew up and graduated from LFAS while we had the store. My daughter and her friends helped in the store as young teens, and now she is bartending at our favorite restaurant, Beatniks Bistro, I remember her at 10 years old, sitting by the faux fireplace in the old Beatniks (before the renovation), saying she would work there one day, and there she is! Sophie was my biggest cheerleader in launching the store and her enthusiasm for our bath bombs, natural body products and face masks kept me going!
We both made so many friends and helped so many people start on their zero-waste journey with refills, shampoo bars, and more. I hope to offer refills through a door-to-door delivery via a mason jar porch exchange for Fort Langley and Walnut Grove. If you would like to subscribe to this service, please message me.
Please keep living consciously, refilling where you can, and making planet Earth a priority. She needs us all to think and act for future generations......not just selfishly our own.
With so much love and gratitude, thank you Fort Langley, for 8 amazing years!
Leah & Sophie
Xo
PS. Be sure to subscribe to MINDFUL PLANET, the world's first Zero-Waste Magazine! Super excited to be a part of this project and cannot wait to share the massive subscriber discounts, freebies and samples giveaways in July! Be sure to sign up and share with your friends and family. LOTS of of goodies to be won just for being a part of the launch!