Success Story Profile - Gypsy Alley
Some people believe that there are no coincidences. If you look at the genesis of Gypsy Alley, a very popular women’s and men’s clothing boutique on Front Street in Thorold, you might tend to agree.
Talia Gillan, the owner and buyer for Gypsy Alley, joined the fashion world during high school, working on the school’s annual fashion shows and participating as a contestant twice in Miss Teen Niagara. After graduation Talia worked in the film industry in Ottawa, a business that continued her exposure to high-end fashion shoots, where she honed her sophisticated sense of style. When she eventually returned to the Niagara region, there weren’t a lot of jobs in her field, so she decided to take the plunge and set up her own business.
With support and training through the Self-Employment Benefit program at Niagara College, Talia opened up her shop in a historic building in Thorold that had been a very successful high-end men’s fashion store, Gaspari’s, for 50 years. The store had been closed for 3 years following the owner’s retirement, but the building was in good shape and still had all of the shelving.
It wasn’t until later that Talia discovered that the building held an even stronger connection for her ― her grandfather’s great uncle had once owned the building, living in it and also running a tailor’s shop.
It seems appropriate that such a historic place now showcases a treasure trove of unique women’s and men’s clothing and accessories, including great shoes and purses, some gorgeous jewellery, scarves…the list goes on.
While Talia’s life may sound like a dream job ― weekly research and buying trips to the North American fashion centres (Toronto, Montreal, New York, Miami) ― in reality it’s a lot of hard work. She puts in a lot of time keeping up on trends, making sure that her stock is unique and fresh, deciding what will sell two to three seasons in advance, accommodating a variety of tastes, and providing great customer service.
She credits her success to the support she received from a number of people: Rena Posteraro, her mentor at the Business Development Centre; Christine and Michael Pascoe, who owned the Ugly Model Agency in Niagara Falls; Jason Parasuco, one of her suppliers; Dwayne Hunter, a Toronto casting director whom she’s worked with; and her dad, who not only helps her out in the store but also wears a lot of her stock himself.
Talia works hard to promote her business in creative ways. Recently she held a Model Search in conjunction with a photo shoot that she was planning. The contestants were all from among her customers, and Jason Parasuco and Dwayne Hunter agreed to be the judges. More than 100 preliminary entries were narrowed down to ten finalists, all photographed in a selection of the clothing in her spring and summer campaigns.
Talia kicked off her anniversary celebration on May 12th with a week-long sale and the announcement of the top female and top male model winners. Along with the exposure and contacts garnered from the contest, the winners also received a great prize package provided by several of the area businesses, including Elio’s Shoes, Grandma Rose’s (a new French café on Albert St.), Willan Studios (who also shot the photos for the model search), and Tammy’s Hair Boutique. The winners are also featured in two billboards on Thorold Stone Road near the tunnel and on Highway 20 near the Allanburg bridge. The Model Search was such a success that Talia plans to make it an annual event.
If you’re wondering what this year’s hot trends are, think bright candy colours and metallics, although Talia emphasizes that this is a great time for fashion because anything goes. Some of her future plans include branching out into children’s clothing and a boutique for a niche that’s very challenging to merchandise in Canada: women who aren’t model-thin (in other words, the majority of us).
If you’re in need of a new outfit, check out the funky boutique on Front street ― you may find that it’s right up your alley!