- Story by Tess Van Straaten Photographs by Don Denton

Fashionista and entrepreneur Barbara Hubbard can鈥檛 believe she鈥檚 been in business for more than three decades.

鈥淚t actually feels quite wonderful and I don鈥檛 know where the time has gone,鈥� says the owner of Baden-Baden Boutique and Barbara鈥檚 Boutique. 鈥淚t certainly doesn鈥檛 feel like 35 years, but I went in with a very positive attitude that this will be it, I鈥檓 loving it and I will have this cute little boutique 鈥� and the cute little boutique really grew!鈥�

After raising two daughters and managing her former husband鈥檚 law firm for a decade, Barbara found herself out of work when he was appointed a judge. She says it was a pivotal moment in her life.

鈥淚 had to really think about what I wanted to do,鈥� Barbara explains. 鈥淚 took a variety of courses. I did a securities course because I thought maybe I wanted to be a financial broker, but I realized it wasn鈥檛 for me because I couldn鈥檛 see myself selling something that I can鈥檛 completely know or touch or see.鈥�

With a passion for fashion, good connections to the German fashion scene and encouragement from friends overseas, Barbara decided to open her first store in 1984 鈥� Baden-Baden Boutique on Fort Street 鈥� and she hasn鈥檛 looked back.

鈥淚 jumped into the clothing business with no real experience in it and I learned fast,鈥� the 76-year-old says. 鈥淲e all need to dress, we can鈥檛 run away from it, so we might as well have fun and do it well.鈥�

After success in downtown Victoria, Barbara decided to expand the business and she opened a store on Vancouver鈥檚 South Granville Street with two partners. But she says it was probably her biggest mistake.

鈥淚t was a holy nightmare and it was just asking for chaos,鈥� Barbara says of the partnership with a man in Europe and another in Canada. 鈥淥ne piece of advice would be to do what you have in mind by yourself so you鈥檙e not dependent on somebody else.鈥�

The store closed after a couple of years and it was a tough lesson, but Barbara says she still has customers coming over from Vancouver to shop because of that store.

Learning from the setback, the next expansion was to Sidney, where Barbara opened a second Baden-Baden outlet and then purchased property on Beacon Avenue for the store.

鈥淚 was the first one in the fashion industry to come to Sidney and it鈥檚 astonishing how many people have followed me,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 quite a fashion promenade now.鈥�

The expansion continued with Barbara鈥檚 Boutique and a shoe store, but the retail dynamo had to make some tough decisions a few years ago. She closed the shoe store to focus on clothing, and she also decided to shut her downtown store in order to focus on the Sidney locations.

鈥淚 decided I really wanted to make my life smaller,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 had the clothing store on Fort Street for 27 years and it was very hard to close it after so many years, but I鈥檓 grateful I did because I鈥檓 so happy to be out of downtown.鈥�

Barbara says parking was a major issue downtown and a deterrent for many customers. She admits not everyone is happy about making the trek to Sidney, but she says parking is easy and it鈥檚 becoming a popular destination for afternoon or all-day outings.

鈥淚 say, bring out your survival gear and come out to Sidney and have a nice lunch and do your shopping on Beacon Avenue.鈥�

Barbara says she鈥檚 learned a lot about customer service over the years and how to keep staff happy. Many have been with her a long time and she believes they鈥檙e a big part of her long-term success.

鈥淲ithout a happy group of employees we would not have lasted as long,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t takes a whole group of people to do it, and my best advice is don鈥檛 make the business completely dependent on you because you鈥檒l get burnt out and won鈥檛 be able to operate long.鈥�

Aside from closing stores, Barbara says, she hasn鈥檛 really faced any major challenges. But when it comes to tough decisions, she has another piece of good advice.

鈥淢y theory is I don鈥檛 make decisions today,鈥� Barbara explains.

鈥淚 always make sure I have a night to think about it before I do it and usually the next day the decision is much easier and the problem isn鈥檛 as big.鈥�

Barbara still travels to Europe twice a year to visit showrooms and select items from the various collections for her stores. It鈥檚 a creative part of the job she loves, but it also comes with its challenges.

鈥淭he big challenge is always to choose the right merchandise for the people that you鈥檙e serving 鈥� that is the forever lasting challenge,鈥� she says. 鈥淲hen I鈥檓 over in Europe and I see all these wonderful collections, I have to think, what鈥檚 right for Sidney? What鈥檚 right for the island? What鈥檚 right for the west coast? And that is always a challenge.鈥�

But it鈥檚 a challenge this septuagenarian doesn鈥檛 plan to relinquish anytime soon.

鈥淚 intend to carry on for quite a while still,鈥� Barbara laughs. 鈥淚 have no retirement plans because I love it. Why would I give it up?鈥�

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
Like Boulevard Magazine on and follow them on