You know their name, and you’ve seen their social media presence, but this month we delve into the women behind the brand. December’s feature business of the month is Fresh.
Kelly Knight and Christa Sinclair are the embodiment of the vintage lifestyle brand that is Fresh. Walking through the doors of their one hundred year old storefront on Main Street, all five senses are romanced. Warm and inviting, with every corner adorned in beautiful items, this store feels more like a show home. As we began our hour long interview with the owners of Fresh, they walked us through the process of sourcing and stocking each item in the store. Not a single thing is added without great care. Christa will scour Instagram for the latest and greatest, while Kelly has a focus on beautiful, hard to find items. For many product lines – such as Aunts & Uncles bags – Fresh is one of the only places that you can purchase them in Saskatchewan. But exclusivity is not the only criteria for a product to make its way onto the shelves of Fresh; both Kelly and Christa are all about the quality. If it wasn’t built to last, then it’s not the right for Fresh. Although it can be a challenge to find unique, quality items in all price ranges, Fresh has risen to the occasion. They welcome shoppers in every price range, and are thrilled to help you find the perfect gift for that special someone that fits into your budget. As they grow, Fresh is expanding into products perfect for all different ages and stages.
With this level of class and attention to detail, it is no wonder that dozens of West Central brides have chosen Fresh to set up a gift registry AND be their florist of choice . Moving beyond the beautiful things, Kelly and Christa are still focused on the flowers. They shared with us how excited they were to be given artistic licence for many weddings, Christmas centrepieces and Valentine’s arrangements. This store won’t send you home with a 90s style bouquet – their modern and always fashionable looks extend to floral design as well.
Rewinding to the beginning, Kelly Knight started Fresh in 2008 with her then partner Rickie Nash. A born and raised Eston girl, Kelly knew that there was an untapped market for beautiful things that could be purchased right in town. As the partner’s business grew – as well as a busy family and extensive home renovation project for Kelly – her hunch proved correct and Fresh was starting to attract attention beyond Eston. In 2014, a partnership change brought Christa Sinclair into the mix. Christa brought with her a flair for social media and just a little bit of milk paint. This pairing exploded into the marketplace like dynamite. With an expanded business plan that now includes Facebook, Twitter, website ordering as well as in store milk paint classes, Fresh has evolved to have quite the following. They have also broadened their reach, with an estimated 25% of sales being shipped out of town. However, online ordering – like anything else from Fresh – isn’t in line with what everyone else does. The ladies confirm every order over the phone, and are happy to make recommendations and provide guidance to customers near and far. Christa chuckled as she shared with us a story of sending selfies to a customer so she could see the fit of a certain item. This is service that you just would not get from any big box retailer.
With all this growth, it would be easy to pull away from a town of just over 1,000 people and focus entirely on outside business – but that is not what Fresh is about. These ladies spent our time together raving about the local help and support they receive. From Crystal Adams who does their books, to SK Meats providing some new food products, these two know where they came from and they are proud to share the Eston love. And Fresh, we all love you right back.
For the month of December, Fresh is giving their customers a chance to win a $500 gift certificate! Every purchase gets you an entry, plus additional entries for each $50 spent. Join them on December 2ndfor their Christmas open house.
Images provided in part by Prairie Lane Photography http://www.prairielane.ca
Full name of owners being featured: Kelly Knight and Christa Sinclair
Type of business: Retail and Florist
Address/Phone Number/Fax Number: 210 Main St S /306-962-4115
Website: http://www.fresheston.com/
Company/Contact email: fresheston@gmail.com
Business Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/fresheston/
Business Twitter account: @estonfresh
