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Lantzville online boutique up for two honours at Small Business B.C. Awards

Timber + Gray chosen as a finalist in e-commerce and people’s choice categories
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Timber + Gray, an online women’s clothing boutique based in Lantzville, is up for a pair of Small Business B.C. Awards. Pictured are Amanda Hulshof, left, owner Tatum Senini and Chelsea Constable. (Karl Yu/News Bulletin)

The proprietor of an online women’s clothing boutique in Lantzville hopes to win big at the Small Business B.C. Awards later this spring.

Timber + Gray is a finalist in the E-commerce Experience and Premier’s People’s Choice award categories thanks to its “frictionless” online shopping experience and for “unwavering and loyal support” of the community, stated a press release for non-profit Small Business B.C.

Tatum Senini, owner, had a storefront at Woodgrove Centre, but decided to take her business online because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She told the News Bulletin that e-commerce sales have grown 225 per cent since the move from the mall.

Connections with clients have been maintained through video-based content on social media, she said, and customers get to have an in-store experience online.

“We take in-depth video try-ons, describing each and every product,” said Senini. “We showcase that product on a variety of body shapes and sizes. We have excellent customer service, so there’s always someone there to answer any questions. We take all the garment measurements, and we have well-styled and professional photography that gets every detail so you can really get a good sense of what you’re buying.”

Senini supports motherhood-related organizations, as she had trouble conceiving initially and successfully underwent in vitro fertilization.

“Our niche is definitely mothers and we like to give back wherever we can,” said Senini. “We make frequent donations to our local Mamas for Mamas chapter, whether that be through financial aid, we also donate a lot of clothing … diapers, formula, etc. We also, since the beginning, have made donations to the Generations of Hope Fertility Assistance Fund, that is a fund that helps provide financial aid to those who can’t afford the costs of infertility treatments.”

The people’s choice award is vote-based, said Senini, and she made to presentation to a panel of judges for the e-commerce award.

She will attend the 20th annual Small Business B.C. Awards ceremony June 2 in Vancouver.

“It’s pretty incredible to be recognized amongst so many other businesses in B.C.,” said Senini. “I think, as entrepreneurs, we don’t really give ourselves enough credit, so it was definitely eye-opening and great to reflect on our achievements so far.”

More than 600 nominations were submitted and 18 finalists were chosen, the press release noted.

READ ALSO: B.C.’s minimum wage increases to $16.75 beginning June

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karl.yu@nanaimobulletin.com

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Karl Yu

About the Author: Karl Yu

After interning at Vancouver Metro free daily newspaper, I joined Black Press in 2010.
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