It’s time to honour the graduates of the Story School’s FutureProof Retail Program and tell their stories.

First up is Kendi Boutique, located at 1846 Hamilton St. and @kendiboutique on Instagram. If you have never been there – go right now!  

What impressed Lisa Hutcheson, my co-facilitator and I, is how owner Cristel owns her unique value proposition.

Every clothing line that Cristel carries she has an exclusive on it. Meaning that everything you see in Cristel’s store you won’t find in any other store in our marketplace in Saskatchewan.

The freshness of that commitment is something we rarely see in retail.

Her trademark design, savvy is also unmistakeable.

Check out her feed and you can see how she weaves the philosophy of her brand through everything she does. A big part of that brand is how she kindly cares for everyone she encounters.

She believes strongly that a few good pieces can go a long way. Mixing and matching and freeing our closets of fast fashion is not only a good ethical decision; it also reduces the overwhelm of closet fatigue.

As we start to move towards a new way to work and venture back to the office, Cristel has noticed “that people are unsure of what to wear and have lost their confidence in how to dress for in-person work and events.” Watch for her solution as she produces videos to show us the art of mix and match and how stretching a few good pieces can bring back your own savvy swagger. You can do this personally with her, virtually, or in person and she can even show you how to mix and match with pieces you already own.

Kendi Boutique opened just prior to the pandemic so like many retailers this has been a hard time. Cristel quickly adapted, building her social following and sales through social media.

Cristel was integral to our FutureProof course, always open minded to thinking differently. Part of the program includes a virtual tour of the space to offer advice on merchandising. From the first pan of the beautiful windows, it was a treat for the eyes. 

Cristel has brought something new to Regina and we love the business she is building. We think you will too!