Settling in to a new place // Setting a new pace

I am writing this quick post from my new cash desk, right in front of a gorgeous green tile wall. I planned this wall, dreamt of this wall, hunted down the right shade of green for this walk…and now am inspired daily by seeing it come to fruition.

I have heard the words, “You must be so happy!” more times than I can count since finally opening our door in the new space on May 7th, and I have to share — I wasn't able to find that emotion for quite some time. While customers were entering into the new space with wonder and delight on their faces and a huge outpouring of love, support and joy for us, what came up most for me was utter relief. I didn’t know if I would actually get to this side of the year-long emergency.

There were a few really low points over the last year when I wasn’t sure my business would actually make it. I even had my first (and I hope only) full-fledged anxiety attack last year. (The water showering down from six light fixtures in our first flood and firemen taking the ceiling down with an axe, after two months of plumbing in the space, had a lot to do with it.) 

Now, if you know me, you’ll know I share the nuts and bolts of business - the good days and bads, around the shop and behind the scenes. Rather than focus on a curated presence online, I prefer to go for an honest and realistic depiction of what business ownership is like. I actually don’t know how to be any other way than my good old, honest, unpolished self. And this past year, whether it was in person with friends (masked and distanced), or online in my Instagram stories, it has felt like all I did was a lot of complaining, raging, worrying and wondering. So I really, really wanted to be happy for you!

You were all there for me through the build of this new space, and my hip replacement surgery...through the temporary move into the pop-up space at our neighbouring yoga studio to the ongoing petty sign battle at the old space. You were waiting for this new space to finally open over so, so many days of building and waiting for permits and delay after delay.

I wanted to be happy in those first few days, but it didn’t feel safe enough to be happy, just yet. So you all gave me space to get there in my own time.

I’m really happy to report, I’ve gotten there. Do you know when I was actually happy? When Carl found me earlier this week. In case you don’t know, Carl is our DGS mascot, our friendly pet crow! He was a daily (sometimes several times in a day) visitor, from almost day one in our Edgemont Village space. He’d sit on the front stoop and caw until we fed him. You can only imagine the joy I felt when I heard his familiar squawk designed to get my attention (it works every time) - we even have his peanuts in a jar at the front door for just such an occasion. Welcoming him to my new stoop is the closest I have come to shedding any tears during this whole time. 

My Carl is home, and now so am I.

I’m loving this settling into a new routine, and for me it is one that is intended to recalibrate. I’ve been focusing on getting enough sleep, good exercise, making memories with Finn, and indulging in the self-care that was not top priority when all systems were in red not that long ago. 

Most days of the week since opening I’ll wake up, get Finn and myself ready, throw on my striped t-shirt, black pants and green French knot, and we hop on our scooters. I drop Finn at school with a smooch and scoot over to my lovely new shop. 

Now that we are settling in, I’m planning to hand over the reins to Gemma and the team a bit more to free up some time to work from my office. I’m gearing up for more - writing, production, patient partner work, and what the finance bros call biz dev. Big things are coming. I know you’ll be there with me, and I could not be more grateful for your support.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this new space a reality - Gemma and Team DGS (Hannah, Leyam, Doris, Monica, Erica, Tanya, my Mom, Cynthia, Konrad and Finn), our architects from McFarlane Biggar, CDC Construction, and our new Grosvenor family. We are so happy to be here.