Town & Country

C M Y K WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, SATURDAY MARCH 21, 2020 3 WINKLER Vanderveen's Greenhouses Ltd. Carman (204) 745-3534 • Spring Bedding Plants • Easter Lilies • Poinsettias 2-500 Main Street Winkler, MB p.204-325-4615 f.204- 325-6712 106-400 Stephen Street Morden, MB Johanna M. Franz Jaret P. Hoeppner Edwin J. Sloane Michelle L. Harms joan@fhwlaw.ca jaret@fhwlaw.ca ed@fhwlaw.ca michelle@fhwlaw.ca 2-500 Main Street Winkler, MB p.204-325-4615 f.204- 325-6712 106-400 Stephen Street Morden, MB Johanna M. Franz Jaret P. Hoeppner Edwin J. Sloane Michelle L. Harms joan@fhwlaw.ca jaret@fhwlaw.ca ed@fhwlaw.ca michelle@fhwlaw.ca Engine Machine Shop & Parts (204) 325-9853 www.millarengines.com 100-561 MAIN ST. WINKLER, MB R6W 1E8 204.325.9672 winkler@rrc.ca rrc.ca/winkler JOE WIWCHAR Museum Administrative Manager 111C Gilmour Street Morden, MB. R6M 1N9 PH: (204) 822-4636 Fax: (204) 822-1483 E-mail: mbbbhof@mts.net Website: mbhof.ca Step into this tastefully curated, casually upscale boutique and you'd never guess the building had a former life as a tire shop. T oday, it houses Willow Creek, the family-built realization of a dream that Sonya Shiskoski nurtured for 20-plus years. She and her children, son Josh Shiskoski and daughter Des Hildebrand, have created a destination shop in both brick- and-mortar in Winkler and online at willowcreekcurated.com."We are a small lifestyles and homewares gift boutique," says Hildebrand. Willow Creek offers a wide range of luxury items like candles, locally made soaps, stoneware, a variety of home decor and more. "They are the gifts that you are as excit- ed to give as you would be to receive," she says. "Willow Creek is for people who have an appreciation for design and quality." Josh Shiskoski came up with the Willow Creek name. "We liked it when we heard it and I feel that the name has a sense of class and we've built the brand around that higher-end aesthetic," says Hildebrand. But their vision was also to create a shop with an eclectic look, using comple- mentary styles. "Most of the items we choose have a certain look to them, whether it's farmhouse or industrial or mid-century modern,"she says. "And we also wanted to create a really welcoming environment for customers, so we have a coffee bar and snacks," she adds. "We want people to feel like they're stepping into our home and that we're the hosts." To achieve that welcoming look and feel, they focus on a thoughtful selection of brands, including local and Canadian- made products. "My mom, Sonya, and I do all of the purchasing together, and we select each and every item that we sell," says Hildeb- rand. What adds to the mix is that the two don't share the same taste. "My mom might pick items that I normally wouldn't, but we can appreciate what the other is choosing, and there's a lot of trust knowing that together we can build and curate a well-rounded look," says Hildebrand. "We take into consideration what our customers are seeking, and quality com- bined with the right price point is insanely important." Between the two of them, they are able to create a beautiful bridge for their customer demographic. "I may know what's trending for twenty- and thirty-somethings, but she knows what women in their 50s and 60s want — it's a really cool mix," she says. While Hildebrand and her brother are co-owners, they want people to know that the business is the fulfillment of a dream of Sonya's. "We are a family of creatives, and my mom didn't really have the business back- ground to bring this to life without us. My brother handles the accounting and build- ing displays and things for the store and my background is marketing and design, but this was her vision and her dream." She says the business is based on the philosophy that it's important to spend your life using your talents and doing what you were meant to be doing. "My mom is creative and she's talented and it's wonderful to watch her thrive and be praised for what she's doing, finally." "There are so many ladies coming in and asking her for her opinion or for help to piece together a room or a look, and I think it's shown her that what she is able to do isn't as common as she thought. "She's shown it's never too late to do what you want to be doing, or to be doing what you're good at." Willow Creek is always introducing something new for cus- tomers, and Hildebrand says the website is frequently updated to reflect new items. The shop floor also features larger items. A well-managed website and social media presence has resulted in a fair bit of traffic from Winnipeg. "We're starting to be well known in southern Manitoba, partly because we're not just for customers who come to buy," says Hildebrand. "Willow Creek is like a live Pinterest board where you can shop for inspiration and get the confidence to be creative." Decor and More L I F E S T Y L E A N D H O M E WA R E S B O U T I Q U E I S A D R E A M C O M E T R U E BY WENDY KING PHOTOS BY DARCY FINLEY Sonya Shiskoski and her kids, daughter Des Hildebrand (with Sonya in top photo) and son Josh Shiskoski, are co-owners of the lifestyle and gift boutique. Willow Creek offers a wide range of luxury items like candles, locally made soaps, stoneware, a variety of home decor and more.

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