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Brentwood Bay, Vancouver Island/Coast

1 Employees

In Business Since 2019

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Spruce Clothing and Lifestyle

Brentwood Bay, Vancouver Island/Coast

Spruce was founded in a quaint hometown community with a strong desire to make a difference. We are the heart of one of those places you stumble upon, but will never forget. Bringing people together, celebrating creators, and inspiring resourceful island living, we actively choose clothing and goods that benefit people and planet. Our clothing is almost solely handpicked thrifted, re-branded or up-cycled by us, and our goods often small batch made by fellow island businesses, or designs between us and local makers. We are also passionate about our sustainable programs ranging from school classrooms, to clothing swaps, to bottle return initiatives, and aspire to continuing growing our give backs and involvement with the community and environment. We deeply appreciate the opportunity to participate in the BC Businesses award program, and thank all sponsors who help make this happen. Your vote means the worlds to us and our small business. Love + Aloha, Andria, SpruceBabe

Spruce Clothing and Lifestyle has been nominated in the following categories:

Click on the banners to find out why they deserve your vote in each category.

Business Impact Award


Tell Us Your Story. What motivated you to start your business? Why are you passionate about what you do?

We were determined to be the change. Aspiring to be the shop that has the necessities and the FEELING. The practical and the RESOURCEFUL. Rebelling against generic box stores missing the link between product and maker. We set out to be the shop you felt pulled to come too. Passionate about showcasing local makers, and introducing them and their stories to our guests, we enjoy providing quality product knowledge and connection. Connection to the goods, and to each other. Witnessing consumer waste as a huge concern for our planet, our business model was built on being apart of the solution. We are committed to being a zero waste or full circle shop in all ways we can. From choosing locally made goods and thrifted or up-cycled clothing, to creating bottle return programs, hosting clothing swaps, and beginning donation programs at local schools, we are here to be the difference.

Describe and demonstrate, including metrics, your community support. How do you support and uplift your community, and how do they show that support in return? Minimum 25 words, maximum 2500 characters.

With small businesses, it's not just about humble beginnings, it's about humble middles, and humble ever afters-- Spruce Clothing + Lifestyle began in a unique way, a garage. Setting out on this endeavour I decided to dip my toe in first, beginning our tiny shop on our family property in a single car garage. Growing interest slowly within the community, word got out! People began to visit our tiny shop, and even given the quirky nature, Spruce became a name of interest. Committed fully, but still moving slowly, we operated this way, out of our single car garage for almost two years with a small portion of the community on our side. Staying consistent and offering radical customer service and appreciation. Then the day came, we had an opportunity to open a brick and mortar. Beaming with readiness, we were enthusiastic about opening the doors to our new, more real, but still tiny shop. Word of mouth spread and one by one new folks found us. The consensus, "Brentwood needed this". How grateful we found ourselves, relieved to hear the community craved a place. This place. As we continued connecting with the values of local residence, we received positive feedback that encouraged and motivated further growth. I believe growing slowly in the community has been a huge tribute to our success thus far. As it turns out, growing slowly, humbly, and on a major revolving budget, allowed us to continuously reconnect with our WHY; what we have been fighting so hard to create, and what we continue working so hard to continue. To be here with you, to make the difference. Along our path, and into our 3rd year of our brick and mortar location, we have experienced the most valuable connections, conversations, support, and friendships. We have been graced by our community in times of hardship from break ins to pandemics, where businesses around us donated, rallied, and fundraised, and we lean back to the community with free uplifting social events, school programs & involvement, public relations, and presence. We are humbled everyday to have become the place people pop by even when they don't need anything. They just wanted to say hello.

Why do you deserve to win the Business Impact award?

By winning this award, we hope to achieve greater business awareness. Attracting new traffic and interests while connecting deeper to our current audience. We would use the award winnings to: Get closer to our goal of obtaining a business vehicle, a Spruce Van, which we would brand, thrift, deliver, and photoshoot with, help correct carried opening debts, offer our 1 very committed staff a bonus for hard work and dedication, provide a giveback bonus to 1 artist we carry at Spruce, and store select funds for future global or community events and/or donations. I would appreciate winning the Business Impact award with Spruce because of our commitment. Through thick and thin, times of no money or no car, pandemics, heartbreak, or wanderlust-- we showed up consistently because we are fully committed to what we're doing here. It brings us great joy to travel the short duration from home to work and wave to 6 people along the way. It feels important to bring our dogs to work and watch the joy they bring visitors. It feels like a valued service to show up everyday and talk to the community who may just be stopping by because it's become apart of their days. Further, because the support of this award would create a spacious breath in us which in turn would create a positive ripple effect onto all the people we interact with everyday and further. We strive to show up as our best selves everyday for others + planet by continuing the development of our sustainable product lines and involvement in the direct and global community. Thank you for your time and opportunity! Much love.

Tell Us About Your Culture. How are you creating a sustainable and healthy workplace where everyone feels welcome? Provide examples of leadership you show in interactions with clients, vendors, contractors, staff and others.

To me, the creation of Spruce equaled the creation of a new lifestyle. It's why Lifestyle is apart of our name. To encourage a balanced work/live LIFESTYLE in ourselves and anyone we can connect with. We believe people operate best when they have some feeling of freedom in their life, and enjoy finding unique ways to help people find a sense of space or pockets of peace in their days and lives. Discussing things like, "Is there something you love or enjoy that can translate into financial abundance? Even a hobby? How can you incorporate more of what you love into your daily routine?" We enjoy communicating with artists often to ensure everyone gets what they need to continue doing what they're doing. To continue to support what keeps their lives inspired. Our staff are encouraged to extend their knowledge and grow within the business in creative avenues and general responsibilities- continuously checking in with staff, to nurture their strengths and curiosities within businesses opportunities. Our staffs wellbeing and happiness within the workplace is of upmost priority. We coach our staff closely to ensure values and intentions are aligned, and offer our staff fair wages. Spruce is closed on Sundays because we believe everyone deserves a day to be free. Everyone and all walks of life are welcome at Spruce. Being seen and heard is a divine human right and we treat everyone with kindness and respect. Our interaction with clients are valued and nurtured, asking clients names and using them regularly, offering special order requests, following up on product use and asking for feedback, and checking in on a genuine human level. We proudly receive positive reviews regularly through our Square point of sale receipt system, as well as our google page, please see some of this positive feedback attached in files. They make our day, every time.

People's Choice


Why do you think you should win the Premier’s People’s Choice Award?

I think the possibility of winning this award will encourage a playful engagement with the community and an opportunity to engage with people in unique ways. I think being consistent and connected in a community builds trust and recognition, and I believe if I ask folks to vote for us, they would be authentically happy with what we're up too. Thank you for being here, and thank you for your vote!

Nominations and voting has now closed.

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