Take it Outside celebrates 10 years: Entrepreneur Sue Stanfield looks back on growth, expansion of casual chic outdoor fashion store

TRURO, N.S. — When Sue Stanfield heard that Truro’s hallmark division retailer Margolians was closing in 2012, whereas pregnant together with her second youngster, she determined to plunge and take a danger.

The entrepreneur had at all times wished to have her personal enterprise and located that she beloved informal stylish attire, particularly as a relentless traveller. To her, having high quality, versatile, however trendy clothes appropriate for the outside, was enticing.

“I really like attire, I really like out of doors journey and I really like small enterprise, so it was an important alternative to type of mix all these issues into one,” stated Stanfield. “I feel journey fuels your soul. I consider in nature as a result of it is so nice for psychological well being. I consider that being exterior can reset or refuel you, relying on what you want on the time.”

Opening alongside different retail shops within the previous house, Take It Exterior began with outdoorsy and fitness-based clothes, stated Stanfield, earlier than shifting extra to life-style and informal trend. Their strains match into the out of doors informal stylish fashion that was simply beginning to choose up on the time and filling a spot in Truro, providing a wide range of value factors for younger professionals, additionally selecting up a number of the former Margolian’s strains.

The enterprise expanded – quick.

“I do not even know the way it occurred,” she stated.

Recognizing Dartmouth Crossing as an important match for a life-style retailer, she opened there only one 12 months later. In 2017, she was approached by the house owners of The Path Store to buy the outstanding Halifax out of doors gear enterprise and it joined as a becoming smaller sister retailer to Take It Exterior places.

“It is so complementary as a result of we’re already selling out of doors energetic life-style and we’re selling informal stylish and high quality items and sustainable manufacturers,” stated Stanfield. “It was simply an extension of what we had been already doing, so, it made sense.”

Simply up to now 12 months, she opened a brand new mixed location in Moncton, and final Might, the Halifax waterfront retailer closed and reopened alongside the Path Store as Take It Exterior Elevated on Vernon Avenue in Halifax.

Initially from Dartmouth, she had beloved Truro ever since she moved for work and ultimately settled down together with her husband, Jon Stanfield of the underwear firm Stanfield’s. She stated it’s a supportive group and describes Inglis Place and the downtown district as a “entire little gem.”

As a small enterprise, Stanfield loves the real suggestions clients present.

“I really like that the attire we promote appears to be like nice on totally different physique sizes, totally different physique sorts,” stated Stanfield. “It actually helps elevate folks’s moods … we love that folks really feel good in what they’re shopping for from us and that is been our core worth since day one and it is actually what we stay for.

“You wish to really feel good in what you are carrying, whether or not it is within the woods or it is on a date night time or it is mountain climbing the Camino or Mount Kilimanjaro, no matter it’s – we have outfitted folks for nearly each expertise.”

Employees members stated they love working with one another a lot that it’s typically like they will learn one another’s minds. They’ve been amazed watching the transformation of the model, together with the Path Store and Elevated retailer, develop below Stanfield’s management.

“Seeing a girl round our age being so profitable, type of provides you excessive hopes, like ‘I can do that’ … she’s exhibiting such an important instance to her daughter and her son,” stated Truro co-manager Karen Davis.

Stanfield stated that illustration of feminine entrepreneurs has “gone a good distance” since she first began, with principally male owner-operators on the commerce exhibits. She additionally needed to overcome the misunderstanding of individuals assuming it was her husband’s firm together with her being the face of it.

“Ten years looks as if a very long time, but it surely additionally looks as if you are simply getting began.”

– Sue Stanfield

“I feel it is gone away a bit extra now, as a result of I feel persons are viewing girls entrepreneurs as what they actually are actually,” stated Stanfield. “It is so a lot better than it was once … and there is a entire wonderful community of girls businessowners in Nova Scotia.”

As a enterprise household, balancing work and life continually “ebbs and flows,” stated Stanfield. Her 12-year-old daughter likes to work the ground and her son is usually round as effectively. She is pleased with her workforce and credit them for stepping as much as assist.

After working at The Kids’s Place within the Truro Mall till its closure, Davis and Melissa Markie discovered the employee-boss relationship at Take It Exterior was utterly totally different.

“Once you assist a small enterprise, you assist a dream,” stated co-manager Markie. “So it is totally different than working for an enormous company, like you’ve got just a little bit extra say and you’ll virtually get extra personable with the shoppers.”

Travellers from far and broad make a degree to cease into the shop and find yourself discovering gadgets from their favorite manufacturers which are onerous to search out elsewhere. As effectively, fairly just a few locals with a passion for the squeak of the previous flooring nonetheless recall recollections from Margolians a long time in the past, stated the workers.

Whereas COVID has “been a rollar coaster,” the transition to out of doors journey and informal workwear has been a lift for the enterprise.

“It is wonderful that Sue’s enterprise simply was capable of develop,” stated Markie. “The truth that she was capable of open two new places after COVID when so many different small companies simply did not make it by, it is wonderful.”

After a decade of fast progress, Stanfield stated she is trying ahead to specializing in consciousness of their present shops and features whereas staying in tune with their values and the communities they serve.

“It is loopy as a result of it was so quick and so sluggish on the identical time,” stated Stanfield. “Ten years looks as if a very long time, but it surely additionally looks as if you are simply getting began.”