- Words by Angela Cowan Photography by Lia Crowe
When Rebecca Burrows purchased Victoria害羞草研究所檚 long-time favourite store, , in 2018, it realized a dream she害羞草研究所檇 carried since she was five years old.
害羞草研究所淚 just had this obsession with fashion and jewellery,害羞草研究所� she says, remembering a day in kindergarten where all the kids were asked to draw what they wanted to be when they grew up. 害羞草研究所淭here are people drawing doctors and firemen and everything, and I just drew a big ring,害羞草研究所� she laughs. 害羞草研究所淚 had this obsession with Audrey Hepburn and Breakfast at Tiffany害羞草研究所檚, and I wanted to work at Tiffany害羞草研究所檚.害羞草研究所�
While she didn害羞草研究所檛 make it to New York in her teens, Rebecca did work for a jewellery designer in Winnipeg who sold many pieces to Hughes Clothing. And when Rebecca and her parents moved out to the island, she popped into the shop with her resume. Then-owner Donna Anderson hired her almost immediately, and Rebecca worked there for more than a decade before stepping back to raise her family. But she didn害羞草研究所檛 stay out of the game for long.
害羞草研究所淏usiness has always been a part of my life,害羞草研究所� she says, adding that she害羞草研究所檇 always wanted to step into the owner/entrepreneurial role. 害羞草研究所淏ut Donna was just not ready to retire at that time.害羞草研究所�
Rebecca ended up buying both the Bleue Coyote Pub in Brentwood and the Rod and Gun Bar and Grill in Parksville (although she has since sold them), while staying closely connected with Hughes. And when the opportunity came to take the reins from Donna, Rebecca knew it was absolutely meant to be. Just two years later in 2020, she helmed the shop害羞草研究所檚 move from downtown Victoria to Athlone Court in Oak Bay with enormous success. And now, business is steady, foot traffic is abundant and her customers are thrilled, echoing the joy Rebecca has found in her own life.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e been in times of my life害羞草研究所攜ears害羞草研究所攚here it just felt like I was a salmon swimming upstream, and not doing what was making me happy, and not realizing it,害羞草研究所� she says.
Now, surrounded by family and friends, a career that she loves, heartfelt relationships with her clients and a new Uptown location that just opened at the end of March, Rebecca is immensely grateful every day for where life has brought her.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 completely come to fruition for me. I害羞草研究所檓 doing exactly what I害羞草研究所檓 meant to do,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淚 am so comfortable in my own skin, and I害羞草研究所檓 just loving my life. With business I always think about my dad. He害羞草研究所檚 been my driving force. He tells me all the time, 害羞草研究所榊ou can do anything you want to do.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟
Thinking back to those kindergarten goals, Rebecca laughs.
害羞草研究所淚 definitely think the little Rebecca is beaming on the inside,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淪he害羞草研究所檚 happy.害羞草研究所�
The 7 Sins
Envy:
Whose shoes would you like to walk in?
Audrey Hepburn. I dreamed of being her when I was a child. In her role in Breakfast at Tiffany害羞草研究所檚, she exuded style and grace like no other. I remember walking around my house all dressed in black pretending I was in New York City.
Gluttony:
What is the food you could eat over and over again?
Pasta. I love pasta. I swear I should be Italian. Nothing fancy though. Spaghetti with olive oil, garlic and all the parmigiano.
Greed:
You害羞草研究所檙e given $1 million that you have to spend selfishly. What would you spend it on?
Selfishly, I would move my parents closer. Mind you, they only live in Sidney and we害羞草研究所檙e in Oak Bay, but now with four stores and always expanding, I would love to have them next door to me. I害羞草研究所檓 such a daddy害羞草研究所檚 girl. I truly have everything I could ever want害羞草研究所攑urses, clothes, cars, jewellery害羞草研究所攂ut having daddy next door, that would take the cake.
Wrath:
Pet peeves?
People who say they 害羞草研究所渃an害羞草研究所檛.害羞草研究所� There害羞草研究所檚 no such thing as 害羞草研究所淚 can害羞草研究所檛.害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淣o害羞草研究所� is not in my vocabulary. If someone says that I cannot do something, it just makes me want it even more. Setting my sights on building more stores and pushing through is how I keep going. Everything in my life gets taken to the next step. I害羞草研究所檓 constantly growing and levelling up my goals.
Sloth:
Where would you spend a long time doing nothing?
Easy, Maui. Though my idea of doing nothing is a 12-kilometre morning beach walk followed by a round of golf at the Plantation Golf Course in Kapalua with my husband.
Pride:
What is the one thing you害羞草研究所檙e secretly proud of?
Oh man害羞草研究所ecretly? Hmm. My heart. I love to give. That害羞草研究所檚 never changed, even when I害羞草研究所檝e been burned. Yep, my heart. Oh jeez, now I害羞草研究所檓 crying.
Lust:
What makes your heart beat faster?
My dogs. My kids. My husband. My parents. My life. My community. My businesses. Everyone and everything around me. I am so, so, so grateful for this life of mine.
Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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