:: about us ::
We appreciate our photo by www.mckinnonphotography.com
Our story really begins in Vancouver, many years ago. Amidst the social tangle we met each other and both fell in love with Island Boys, after which they spirited us away and back to where they grew up. Therefore we are transplants, but now the Island is our home.
We both became mothers to our sons in 2007, and the idea for firefly : new beginnings was born while both of us were still pregnant. There was nowhere in Courtenay, or anywhere close by, to get new maternity clothing! We also couldn't find any of the things we wanted for our babies. Ordering everything online was tedious and making visits to Vancouver or Nanaimo was impractical.
We had the idea and a niche to fill, and we started our many hours of work and research for our business plan. Things began to fall into place, and on one rainy March day we spotted a sign in a Fifth Street window. We knew this was where we wanted to be!
After the demolition began on our space, we had electrical and drywall work done, and the rest was up to us! We sanded, painted, floored, cleaned, decorated, put up shelving, phew! It took us a few months, as we had babies in tow and things were slow-going at times. Finally enough of our stock arrived and we busily catalogued and displayed it all. It was time to open the doors...
July 25 2008 was our first day in business, and we couldn't be happier or filled with more pride for our creation. It is truly a joy to come to firefly every day and know that we get to work on something which was ours from the beginning, and make it better all the time. Our little shop is a simple yet functional endeavor to provide mums, babies, and families with things to make their lives easier and more fun. As co-owners and young mums ourselves, we focus on products that are practical, funky, cool, environmentally sound, and above all - safe. We research our products carefully to make sure they're safe and of the highest quality so that our customers don't have to worry about anything that comes from our shop. We hope that we can constantly surprise our customers with fresh and funky new ideas and gear for their families.
And family really is our highest priority. We both bring our boys to work with us, and they have an area all to themselves in the back. The store is totally child-friendly and safe, and we have a kids' area with a colouring table near the change-rooms. We have three comfy chairs which are a breeze for pregnant ladies to get up out of, and are really comfortable for nursing. (We know, we both use them every day!) Our change table is always available to use, and we encourage customers with hungry babies to take advantage of our little "living room". We've used our experiences as mothers to create a space that is bright, cheerful, and inviting.
The latest endeavor here at firefly : new beginnings is, of course, the website! Enjoy yourself and browse, and please feel free to email us with any questions with the handy form on our Contact Us page. You can also keep up with the latest news and enter contests and giveaways at firefly by reading our blog.
Thanks for reading and warm regards,
Teneille & Chelsea
xoxox