- Story by Lauren Edwards Photography by Don Denton
Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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As Chris Manley whistles a jazzy tune through his teeth, I realize he害羞草研究所檚 a man of many talents. And indeed, in addition to his impressive whistling abilities, he sings and excels in business as co-owner of Resthouse Sleep Solutions 害羞草研究所� an organic mattress and bedding store in Duncan.
Vancouver-born Chris has been whistling since he was five years old, taught by his father while living in Richmond. He tricked his teachers by disguising his whistling abilities through his teeth, and 害羞草研究所渕astered the art of the different sounds and the noodling to it.害羞草研究所�
After graduating high school, he worked for a corporate mattress company in Vancouver for 15 years. As a top salesperson and sales trainer, his career in the sleep industry was set, but the one-size-fits-all method of sales didn害羞草研究所檛 feel right.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 an old way [of looking at it],害羞草研究所� Chris explains. 害羞草研究所淲hich is just alarming because [noramlly] two people sleep in a bed, and each person has different needs.害羞草研究所�
When he left the corporate world and moved on to Duncan, Chris decided to change his lifestyle, starting with improving his health through eating organically. With the introduction to organic foods, he 害羞草研究所渟tarted to clue in that conventional mattresses are not as healthy as we害羞草研究所檝e been told they are.害羞草研究所� And, he adds, this is not evening considering their environmental impact 害羞草研究所� with around 害羞草研究所�30 million mattresses a year going to landfills in North America.害羞草研究所� With the world focussing on product sustainability, down to its roots, he thought, it makes sense that a community with a high-level interest in organics would want to embrace holistic sleeping habits too.
害羞草研究所淎s a kid, I remember complaining about taking naps, which seemed like a requirement. As an adult, having a good night害羞草研究所檚 sleep is vital.
害羞草研究所淥nce I don害羞草研究所檛 get enough sleep, my sugar addiction kicks in because I害羞草研究所檓 trying to get that jolt, and that actually hurts my brain. Then I start to get anxiety, then I get mild depression, and it害羞草研究所檚 just this cycle.害羞草研究所�
He adds: 害羞草研究所淏ecause when you are laying there, if you害羞草研究所檙e getting hot, you害羞草研究所檙e tossing and turning, and you害羞草研究所檙e hurting, well that kicks in the brain害羞草研究所t害羞草研究所檚 ultimately what discomforts people. When you get into your 50s, 60s and 70s, if you害羞草研究所檙e not sleeping well, you can get sick.害羞草研究所�
Chris and his business and life partner, Dawn Howlett, first launched a mattress business from their garage. Next, they opened an organic mattress gallery, complete with spotlights and showrooms. From there they set up shop at the Community Farm Store, and then, when space for a store opened up with a music studio above, Chris was able to combine his two passions 害羞草研究所� music and the mattress business害羞草研究所� under one roof.
Chis says the idea for the business had always been in concept form, but when 害羞草研究所渙ut popped of Dawn害羞草研究所檚 mouth 害羞草研究所楻esthouse,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 the name helped solidify their idea.
Towels, linens, pillows and comforters at Resthouse are all made from organic cotton. The store also features handmade wooden furniture by David Martinello, as well as wool blankets made from angora goats and sheep on Ann Lindwall害羞草研究所檚 farm in Glenora, just outside of Duncan.
害羞草研究所淲e try to do as much locally as we can,害羞草研究所� says Chris, adding that the business recently expanded its ownership team by adding Olga Roberts.
Resthouse gets involved in different community events, working with schools and donating products to different foundations, and making sure mattresses are properly disposed of. Each time they deliver a new mattress, the old one (if it害羞草研究所檚 still in good shape) is donated to charity.
Dawn害羞草研究所檚 decoration of the store was influenced by hygge (pronounced 害羞草研究所渉oog-ga害羞草研究所�) 害羞草研究所� a Danish word meaning 害羞草研究所渁 mood of cosiness and comfortable conviviality with feelings of wellness and contentment.害羞草研究所�
The duo originally met at The Haven, which offered an improvisational a cappella singing course called 害羞草研究所淭he Singing Soul.害羞草研究所� Chris, who had always enjoyed music, says the course was 害羞草研究所渟erendipitous because that害羞草研究所檚 where I met Dawn, where I really got into music, and where I learned that the universe will actually give you what you want if you ask for it.害羞草研究所�
During the course, he was urged by instructor David Hatfield to 害羞草研究所渘o matter what, just keep singing.害羞草研究所�
So Chris continued his musical training on his own, playing a game of 害羞草研究所渨histle it or sing it.害羞草研究所� He put his entire music library on shuffle 害羞草研究所� deciding to either whistle or sing each tune as it played.
Eventually he met The Paradigm Shifters, an improvisation band, which was looking for a singer. Improvising, band members begin playing their instruments and 害羞草研究所渇ind ways through intuition in the moment to create songs,害羞草研究所� says Chris.
Years later, he害羞草研究所檚 now part of Dream Catcher, another improvisational band. Chris continues to pursue his passion for music, almost pushing himself, he says, to show his daughter, 14 and son, 12 害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所渨ho are both amazing singers害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� what it means to not give up on dreams.
In addition to singing, whistling and selling sleep solutions, Chris likes 害羞草研究所渉anging out with the kids,害羞草研究所� swimming in various lakes on the island and spending time at his parents害羞草研究所� home that has a 害羞草研究所渃abin-like害羞草研究所� feel to it.
Other favourite pastimes include tennis and bowling (he was a competitive bowler in his youth), and practising music with Dawn through looping 害羞草研究所� a device that records and plays back music. Dawn is a huge positive influence in his life, he says, as well as his parents, who taught him to treat others with 害羞草研究所渒indness and heart.害羞草研究所� He still carries this important lesson to 害羞草研究所渦nderstand that we all struggle, and if you just default to kindness, the universe takes care of you.害羞草研究所�
Now that害羞草研究所檚 something to whistle about.
Check out Chris害羞草研究所� company .
