00:00:00:00 - 00:00:05:03
Speaker 2
Hi, everyone. Welcome back to the podcast. Today I have on Annie, and she's here to tell us the story.

00:00:05:05 - 00:00:29:01
Speaker 1
Hi, guys. So I'd love to share the story of how I first started. Everyone kind of asked how Wolf Rebel was created. How it began. And how long we've been in business. Like, people always ask about that. So we've been in business for seven years, but two years we were just online doing hand stamped keychains, and then it was like such a huge craze to have those brass keychains for some reason.

00:00:29:01 - 00:00:46:01
Speaker 1
So we started with those keychains, and then we traveled around Canada on that school bus, that we built into like a tiny home. And, we did pop ups in markets all over Canada. And, actually, Winnipeg was like my favorite place to go because people came to the pop up and they were like, oh, I have all the tissues.

00:00:46:01 - 00:01:00:13
Speaker 1
They had, like bracelets and keychains that I made and stuff. So it was really, really cool. And that's where I got my Wolf and Rebel tattoo, too, because I was like, this is like the place where I connected with the most. So, I would love to visit there again. But yeah, so we started two years ago and snap keychains.

00:01:00:15 - 00:01:17:01
Speaker 1
And then we had to move back home because we end up selling the bus and we were going to do a sprinter van kind of, like, downsize even more. And then, things shifted. My mom and dad getting sick. So we ended up staying in Windsor. And then, we moved in with my sister, which she used to live just down on central, and we drove past this building.

00:01:17:01 - 00:01:38:02
Speaker 1
It was empty. And I always, like, wondered, like. Like what? It was like if I had a store here, like what it would be like. And I just called the number one day and I it was surprisingly easy to lease out a commercial space. I thought it was going to be, like pretty intense, like you needed all this paperwork and stuff, but it's just as easy as renting a house.

00:01:38:04 - 00:01:40:02
Speaker 1
Actually, probably even easier because they don't even.

00:01:40:02 - 00:01:53:15
Speaker 1
I don't know if I should say that, but they didn't even do a credit check or anything. They just like, we signed papers and that was it. I don't know if it's different now or if that was even the right way to do it. I don't know if I should say that, but,

00:01:53:17 - 00:02:11:19
Speaker 1
Yeah. So we signed the papers and then we just opened up and we've been here for five years now. And I look at back at pictures of when we first started and it was like, I can't believe people actually came into the store because it was so empty. Like, we didn't have anything on the walls, really. There was barely any products from first started.

00:02:11:19 - 00:02:27:16
Speaker 1
And it was just so bare. And now it's like completely filled with built up walls and kitchens and like, all this stuff. And yeah, I just can't wait to see what else happens with it. But even to get here, there was so much that we had to overcome. Like

00:02:27:16 - 00:02:33:02
Speaker 1
the small business community is really great, but there's also a lot of like negatives to it as well.

00:02:33:02 - 00:02:37:01
Speaker 1
Like you can get very catty. And I learned that in the beginning,

00:02:37:01 - 00:02:45:03
Speaker 1
there is competitiveness. And so I started to stick to myself and there was a moment where I didn't even want to come to the store anymore because I felt

00:02:45:03 - 00:02:45:23
Speaker 1
defeated.

00:02:45:23 - 00:02:48:06
Speaker 1
And so I kind of lost my spark there for a little bit.

00:02:48:06 - 00:03:12:12
Speaker 1
And then after I just kind of got a little bit depressed because I was like, I, this is what I love doing. This is how I express my creativity through all the colors and the products and the stories and the Instagrams and stuff. And so I kind of just fought that, like feeling of, like hiding away. And then I started showing my face on Instagram again, because before I was like really active with showing my face, I did like the morning dances and stuff.

00:03:12:14 - 00:03:18:01
Speaker 1
And then I stopped for a really long time. And then, yeah, now I'm starting to like, come back again with it.

00:03:18:01 - 00:03:28:20
Speaker 1
But yeah, it was it was kind of tough, especially because we opened it in like the pandemic area where the pandemic, time and so it's like up and down, up and down with even now it's still very challenging.

00:03:28:20 - 00:03:31:19
Speaker 1
But, yeah, this this place is

00:03:31:19 - 00:03:42:02
Speaker 1
it means so much to me because this has been my last seven years of my life, and this is all that I do, and I really, really love it. And I love, like, going with it too. Yeah, yeah.

00:03:42:03 - 00:03:47:07
Speaker 2
So you started off with making your own products. Do you still make anything?

00:03:47:09 - 00:04:06:05
Speaker 1
No. People ask all the time. And I brought it back for a little bit, I think like a year or two ago, and it didn't really take off the same sales. And like, I'm, you know, I'm just going to close out chapter and I'm like, we're done with that. But I do miss it. Like when I, when I did, a custom teaching order for a friend, I really felt excited and happy again.

00:04:06:07 - 00:04:18:20
Speaker 1
But it's so much work to do. X and hand stamp and every little letter on that keychain. And like in between everything else that I have to do, it's just too much. But it did really make me happy when I was doing it. But I don't think I'd bring it back again.

00:04:18:20 - 00:04:20:15
Speaker 1
What about what you is.

00:04:20:15 - 00:04:21:14
Speaker 1
You pop up, right?

00:04:21:14 - 00:04:24:10
Speaker 2
That would be a good option. Like a pop up weekenders.

00:04:24:10 - 00:04:26:16
Speaker 1
Yeah, actually, that was sort of just continually.

00:04:26:16 - 00:04:27:06
Speaker 2
Doing it all the.

00:04:27:06 - 00:04:35:12
Speaker 1
Time. Yeah, that's a great idea actually, because that way I can bring it back. But it's just a one time moment thing. It's not like forever. I like that idea.

00:04:35:12 - 00:04:40:14
Speaker 2
what are you working on the most? I know you have your matcha bar, which is like still new ish.

00:04:40:14 - 00:04:41:01
Speaker 1
Yeah.

00:04:41:01 - 00:04:42:04
Speaker 2
Is there anything else?

00:04:42:06 - 00:05:00:07
Speaker 1
We just added the vintage and vinyl record shop upstairs, and, I always say every six months or every year we end up doing something really big in the shop. So I think for next year, we do have some plans, and I think it's gonna be pretty big for the bar. But there's so much like things that have to go into it.

00:05:00:07 - 00:05:08:01
Speaker 1
So much planning and testing. So, we're not sure how that's going to turn out, but there is something in the works for sure. Yeah.

00:05:08:05 - 00:05:14:20
Speaker 2
Okay. So when you you said you, like, drove by this building a lot and it was empty,

00:05:14:20 - 00:05:17:05
Speaker 2
did it take you a long time to build up the nerve to.

00:05:17:05 - 00:05:34:23
Speaker 1
Actually call, or was it kind of just like, let's see, I think it was I probably a few weeks for sure, because when I like, set my mind on something, I'm like, I'm just going to do it. I'm just going to do it. So I kept driving by and the number was just like there in the window, because normally they actually they do have sometimes they do have the assignment sets for these.

00:05:34:23 - 00:05:45:22
Speaker 1
Yeah. But yeah, it was just in the window and I was like, I'm just going to call and see how it is, check it out. Like at least just come in and look at the space. And. Yeah. And I fell in love with I loved how it was like the double

00:05:45:22 - 00:05:49:10
Speaker 1
like levels. And also there's just so much that we can do.

00:05:49:12 - 00:06:06:02
Speaker 1
But then I was just in keychains so I'm like, I don't know how the hell I'm going to, like, fill this space up with just keychains. And I think that's why I was so at the beginning, because I didn't know what direction I was even going with it. I just jumped into it, had no idea, no plan. And, yeah, it just kind of evolved on its own.

00:06:06:04 - 00:06:09:19
Speaker 2
How do you find products to bring in and how do you decide?

00:06:10:01 - 00:06:30:15
Speaker 1
TikTok for sure. So we're always looking at what's like trending on TikTok. We also look at other cities, like big cities like New York, LA, see what they're doing. And then we kind of just bring in some of those products. But with the tariffs and everything, we're trying to stay like Canadian. So that's been a little bit hard because a lot of the Q products are American.

00:06:30:19 - 00:06:52:02
Speaker 1
Yeah. And sometimes we do have to just it depends on what it is like the baggu that we brought in. That's American. But I really, really love that brand. So, I think I kind of just bite the bullet on the tariffs and the taxes and all that stuff. So I guess it just depends on if I really love it and like, vibes with the store, if it's unique.

00:06:52:04 - 00:07:00:23
Speaker 1
In the beginning we had a lot of stuff that people didn't carry. Like I think we were the first, at least in Ontario, I don't know, Canada. To carry Poppy and all pop,

00:07:00:23 - 00:07:16:21
Speaker 1
So those were like. It was when it first started. Like, to buy our drinks and stuff were just taking off in the States and Canada, at least in Ontario. Didn't really know about it yet. So then we started hearing it first. And then there was a lot of red tape at that too, because, because it was probiotics.

00:07:16:21 - 00:07:26:19
Speaker 1
Like there's so much regulations with that. Yeah. That was we were carrying a lot of like unique products that we didn't have in Windsor at the time. So and then now it's everywhere. And so you don't hear it anymore.

00:07:27:01 - 00:07:27:09
Speaker 2
Yeah.

00:07:27:09 - 00:07:30:09
Speaker 2
But a lot of your products are still super unique.

00:07:30:11 - 00:07:50:06
Speaker 1
Yeah. Yeah. I think there's now that we're getting Canadian products, we're, we're really zoning in on like really cool products in Canada that like we haven't seen in Windsor. So we have like herbal teas. Their branding is really fine and they have like tinctures and stuff that you can add to your drinks. So I really look for the packaging and it's really fun.

00:07:50:08 - 00:07:58:06
Speaker 1
And then the branding, and the business itself, like how they show themselves on Instagram and their morals and values too.

00:07:58:08 - 00:08:00:12
Speaker 2
Has there been anything that has tanked,

00:08:00:12 - 00:08:02:09
Speaker 2
or didn't go as you thought?

00:08:02:09 - 00:08:22:14
Speaker 1
There's a few. And I keep bringing it back because I really love it. Well, it takes us with the vases that we have from bandeau. Those are American. But when we first got them, they were so popular. And they kept selling and selling and selling. And then they started slowly, like, not selling as much because I kept bringing them in like, they're so cute.

00:08:22:14 - 00:08:35:07
Speaker 1
I want everyone to have them. So we're kind of pulling away from that. Some of the video DIY kits, I really love, like the little mini houses and stuff. Those ones aren't as popular, but I love it. I keep bringing that.

00:08:35:07 - 00:08:44:03
Speaker 1
Back to you. Which is probably not good business wise, but I that's how I started to is bringing things that I really liked. And,

00:08:44:03 - 00:08:45:23
Speaker 1
Yeah. So I'm just hoping that

00:08:45:23 - 00:08:47:23
Speaker 1
I don't know, that translates still.

00:08:48:01 - 00:08:52:03
Speaker 2
That's what I think the hard part is, like, you built this

00:08:52:03 - 00:08:54:05
Speaker 2
with your interests. Yeah. And so

00:08:54:05 - 00:08:56:03
Speaker 2
I think you have to kind of stay true to that.

00:08:56:03 - 00:09:10:07
Speaker 1
Yeah. Like sometimes I listen to the customers and I'm like, okay, what should we bring in? They give us suggestions, I bring it in and it doesn't sell. And I'm like, damn it. Like, now what? So then I go back to like, okay, I'm just gonna bring in the things that I really like. And sometimes that doesn't go well.

00:09:10:07 - 00:09:27:15
Speaker 1
So it's really hard to figure out what to even bring in. I think there was, I think the year before this or maybe two years before this, we kind of start. I was going to stop retail altogether. So that's why we slowly downsized it, because I was like, I don't know what to bring anymore. Nothing is selling. And so we stopped.

00:09:27:15 - 00:09:44:09
Speaker 1
But then people kept coming in looking for gifts and I was like, I, we started as a gift shop. I have to keep going. So now we're starting to build it up again. But it's still struggles with like, what do we bring in? Like, do we bring in just what customers want or things that I really enjoy, like, so it's hard to find that balance there.

00:09:44:09 - 00:09:44:22
Speaker 1
Yeah. Yeah.

00:09:45:02 - 00:09:49:10
Speaker 2
There's a lot of partnerships that you have here too. So what else is going on in the store?

00:09:49:12 - 00:10:09:07
Speaker 1
So we have Michelle, she does tattoos. We have, the sushi upstairs. So it's all plant based vegan. It's avocado pit. And then we have music, world peace, music and more. Upstairs we do vintage and vinyl records and stuff, and then we have like, little, local businesses and shops and stuff in the store as well, like little products.

00:10:09:09 - 00:10:26:00
Speaker 1
So we have blind date, blind date with a book that's by Rope and Raven. That one's been really popular this month. She's local. What is that? So it's like, oh, it's like fantasy books or romance books all, like, wrapped up, so you don't know what book you're going to get. So it's like blind box for books.

00:10:26:00 - 00:10:43:17
Speaker 1
Okay? And you just, you just pick one out. It has a little bit of like a what's it called, a summary of what is in the book. But you can't just blindly pick it and then read it and hopefully you enjoy it. People are loving that one. And then, yeah, we have stickers and pens and stuff from other local businesses too.

00:10:43:17 - 00:10:44:23
Speaker 1
So yeah, that.

00:10:44:23 - 00:10:51:09
Speaker 2
Is a cute idea because I always get stuck at the library or the bookstore, like, yeah, with like ten different options and I can't choose.

00:10:51:14 - 00:11:07:23
Speaker 1
Her books are always like the ones that are popular at the moment too. So like, you know that you're probably going to get one that like, people can probably relate to the most. Yeah, it's really fun. You just grab one and then you just rip it open, read it. And she has like little like, reading logs for it too as well.

00:11:07:23 - 00:11:10:17
Speaker 1
So you can always write and write what you're, what you read and stuff.

00:11:10:17 - 00:11:12:21
Speaker 2
So and then when you buy the book, is it yours?

00:11:12:21 - 00:11:13:11
Speaker 1
Yeah. Yeah.

00:11:13:11 - 00:11:14:06
Speaker 2
Not like a library.

00:11:14:08 - 00:11:15:07
Speaker 1
No, no. Yeah.

00:11:15:15 - 00:11:18:16
Speaker 2
So what is your favorite thing in the store.

00:11:18:16 - 00:11:19:23
Speaker 2
Today.

00:11:20:01 - 00:11:28:06
Speaker 1
I would say the baggu and the Italian charms. So you remember those bracelets were there? Like, they would pinch your your arms. It was metal.

00:11:28:10 - 00:11:28:16
Speaker 2
Yeah.

00:11:28:17 - 00:11:36:22
Speaker 1
And so that's coming back when we brought that, that probably a few months ago. People are loving that too. So that's been my favorite in the bag for sure.

00:11:36:22 - 00:11:38:04
Speaker 2
What is the better.

00:11:38:05 - 00:11:47:11
Speaker 1
So it's like little, nylon bags. So all different styles, really fun patterns and styles. And it's just really fun. Yeah, yeah.

00:11:47:12 - 00:11:49:05
Speaker 2
Those feel very vintage to me.

00:11:49:05 - 00:11:50:03
Speaker 1
Yeah, yeah.

00:11:50:03 - 00:11:52:05
Speaker 2
It's like the nylon bags used to be, so.

00:11:52:05 - 00:11:53:14
Speaker 1
Yeah. Popular.

00:11:53:14 - 00:11:56:13
Speaker 2
you used to do like the stickers too. Right. Did you.

00:11:56:15 - 00:12:10:09
Speaker 1
We did like like our design. Yeah we did our own like merch and stuff. But then that didn't really take off after a while. So we kind of stopped with that too. So it's a lot of, like, just figuring out what we

00:12:10:09 - 00:12:14:15
Speaker 1
like, what we can do. And it's tough because it's like it takes investment in that.

00:12:14:20 - 00:12:15:10
Speaker 1
Yeah.

00:12:15:12 - 00:12:16:10
Speaker 2
It's always money.

00:12:16:10 - 00:12:37:03
Speaker 1
Yeah. So it's that's the scary part. And like I'm not afraid of failing. I'm afraid of more of like not doing it and like missing out on opportunity. So I'm okay with the risk. But it just it sucks when it fails. So a lot of our merch didn't. It was popular at first and then it stopped. Like most of our products, it is really popular.

00:12:37:03 - 00:12:47:07
Speaker 1
And then all of a sudden people are like over it or like something, you're always on your toes. But we did stickers. We did keychains like, acrylic keychains. We did sweaters, hats,

00:12:47:07 - 00:12:48:04
Speaker 1
a lot of things.

00:12:48:04 - 00:12:52:00
Speaker 2
So how are you expressing your creativity these days?

00:12:52:02 - 00:12:53:05
Speaker 1
Oh my gosh,

00:12:53:05 - 00:12:59:21
Speaker 1
I think by buying the products for the store for sure. But outside of the store, I

00:12:59:21 - 00:13:01:05
Speaker 1
don't know.

00:13:01:05 - 00:13:18:01
Speaker 1
I think that's I think that's something that I actually struggle with is like finding things that I like doing for myself and not like monetary wise. Because even with, I also teach plots and I find creativity in teaching the class family coming up with it, and I love doing that.

00:13:18:01 - 00:13:35:22
Speaker 1
But then again, it's like a job. So I kind of have to read, find what I love to do, and I haven't really had time to do that, so that's tough. But I have been starting to get into getting into vinyl records. I just started like a few days ago and my collection, I have like four records now.

00:13:36:00 - 00:13:41:10
Speaker 1
I find that really fun. So I guess I'm doing that for creative music. Yeah, yeah.

00:13:41:12 - 00:13:46:23
Speaker 2
Well, I don't think it's necessarily a negative thing that your creativity

00:13:46:23 - 00:13:50:18
Speaker 2
is for work. Yeah, I think that just means you're integrated.

00:13:50:20 - 00:13:51:04
Speaker 1
Yeah.

00:13:51:04 - 00:13:57:16
Speaker 2
And, like, you find the work fulfilling, too. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. So it's like, say that's.

00:13:57:18 - 00:14:00:18
Speaker 1
Okay. I like that I don't feel is bad, but yeah.

00:14:00:18 - 00:14:11:20
Speaker 2
Because it just feels it's I think at the end of the day it's just how you feel about it. Yeah. Right. So if people if you hated the work then it would be draining. Yeah. But if you loved it and you loved it.

00:14:11:23 - 00:14:24:01
Speaker 1
I think that's what has kept us still in it, because I do love it. It is very tiring, but I love coming up with ideas and like constantly evolving. Yeah, even with my pilates classes too. What I love coming up with.

00:14:24:03 - 00:14:24:19
Speaker 2
Exactly.

00:14:24:19 - 00:14:27:02
Speaker 1
So. Yeah, that's. Yeah, that's a great idea. Thank you.

00:14:27:03 - 00:14:30:22
Speaker 2
Are you still I guess, yes. You are enjoying the pilates

00:14:31:00 - 00:14:52:20
Speaker 1
Yes, I did cut back on some of my classes just because teaching is a lot of energy. Because there are times where, like, I'm so tired and I kind of I don't want to be there some days, but you have to have your energy up for the students. So I, I cut back on a few of my classes, but I'm still teaching like three times a week now, so it was five times a week I was teaching before.

00:14:52:21 - 00:14:55:16
Speaker 1
Oh, yeah. Yeah, I still I still really, really love it.

00:14:55:16 - 00:14:59:05
Speaker 2
I am trying to get into Pilates. It's so hard.

00:14:59:07 - 00:14:59:17
Speaker 1
Yeah.

00:14:59:19 - 00:15:07:01
Speaker 2
It's crazy because I've been weightlifting for, I don't know, ten plus years, but I just figured out how to use my core with pilates this year.

00:15:07:02 - 00:15:27:23
Speaker 1
Yeah, yeah. When I was the reason why I became an instructors, because I took a reformer class and I was, like, pretty consistent with almost every day. And, after having two kids, my pelvic floor was like ruined and 40s like, healed. That like I before, I couldn't even run when I was into the marathons, like a few years back when I first went vegan.

00:15:28:01 - 00:15:34:09
Speaker 1
I this is so gross. But I would have to wear like diapers or pads because I would like

00:15:34:09 - 00:15:43:18
Speaker 1
pee when I would run because I had no pelvic floor muscles. It was all ruined from giving birth. And so I did pilates and it fixed it and I have no problem at all. I was like, this is amazing.

00:15:43:18 - 00:15:55:09
Speaker 1
This is like rehabilitation, it's healing. So then I became an instructor. And so like, same. Yeah. Like you figure out your your muscles, like, it's just you're more in tune with your body when you do Claudia's. Yeah. Which is, like, so cool.

00:15:55:11 - 00:16:04:05
Speaker 2
That's crazy. Yeah. So. And your kids are old, right? Yeah. Older. So, like, this is like, I don't know, ten plus years after that, having the kids then. Pilates. Yeah.

00:16:04:09 - 00:16:22:00
Speaker 1
Yeah yeah yeah I like I so I started yeah I started with performer. And I feel like everyone should start with performer because it's more hands on because you. The classes aren't as big. Like, my classes at my body are like 30 people. And that's like, it's hard to keep track of everyone. But when you're in a reformer class, usually it's like

00:16:22:00 - 00:16:22:10
Speaker 1
it shouldn't.

00:16:22:15 - 00:16:39:08
Speaker 1
I feel like it shouldn't be more than like ten people, because then you can't keep track of everyone. But it is more hands on then you get adjustments. And like, I just, I don't know, I loved it and, it just fixed my body. I was like, this is crazy. I didn't know, like, it could do that. So yeah, it's definitely something everyone should do for sure.

00:16:39:12 - 00:16:48:15
Speaker 2
Yeah, even for just a little stint, I think. Yeah. So it definitely helps you figure out your body. Yeah, yeah. Even if, you know, you think you if you think even if you think you know.

00:16:48:15 - 00:17:02:15
Speaker 1
Your body, it's. So it changes everything because it's. So you're thinking about the deep muscles. You're not just thinking about like they call it like vanity muscles. Like where you can see the, like the abs and stuff. It's like inside. It's like deep that you're you're strengthening.

00:17:02:15 - 00:17:04:02
Speaker 1
Yeah, I love that. Yeah, yeah.

00:17:04:02 - 00:17:14:00
Speaker 2
If people love this conversation, they want to check out your store or learn more about you. Also check out your Instagram because you make funny reels. So where do they find you?

00:17:14:02 - 00:17:19:20
Speaker 1
You can check us out at at Shop Wolf and Rebel. Our March bar is also @moonimatcha

00:17:19:20 - 00:17:23:16
Speaker 1
And then, yeah, the store is, 2748 Seminole Street.

00:17:23:17 - 00:17:25:11
Speaker 2
Yeah. And you have a website, too?

00:17:25:15 - 00:17:40:16
Speaker 1
Yeah. So we're actually not really active on our website anymore. But you can find us at Wolf and rebel.com. Everything is still updated. It's just that we are not really familiar as much actually like with the tariffs and stuff, it's a little bit harder to ship internationally and stuff. So.

00:17:40:17 - 00:17:42:06
Speaker 2
Do you ship within Canada?

00:17:42:06 - 00:17:57:05
Speaker 1
So yeah. Yeah, we actually just ship to the UK and it was difficult. The package ended up breaking and it was just like, it's just there's so much that comes into shipping internationally that I would rather just kind of stick to Canada if we're going to ship.

00:17:57:05 - 00:17:58:01
Speaker 2
So yeah.

00:17:58:01 - 00:18:00:21
Speaker 2
Well thank you so much for traveling on the podcast!

00:18:00:21 - 00:18:03:03
Speaker 2
it was. Okay. Bye. Bye, guys.