By Frank Scarcello
Over the last six years, Kevin and Nina Anderson have established their retail gift store business, Global Experience, into three unique locations around Thunder Bay. Their success and experience has also earned them the contract to operate the Trading Post gift store at Thunder Bay’s most popular tourist attraction, Old Fort William.
Like many young people in Thunder Bay, Kevin and Nina left the city to attend university out of town. They both headed to southern Ontario to study at the University of Western Ontario in London. Many students who leave for university never come back. The hustle and bustle of southern Ontario, for many, is hard to resist. But for some, like Kevin and Nina, it was a breeding ground for business ideas.
“You go away and you see what Thunder Bay is lacking,” says Nina, “Global Experience is a mixture of about 10 different stores that I have visited in southern Ontario.”
Strong family ties brought the couple back to Thunder Bay after graduation, and they quickly came across a business opportunity. An environmental gift store was going out of business and was for sale. They made a deal to buy the computers, suppliers list and remaining stock for $7,000, and Global Experience was born.
All three stores are filled with a variety of home furnishing items from all over the world. Nina says they often rely on their own tastes when it comes to importing merchandise for the store. There is also a moral foundation in purchasing policy, which stresses that suppliers and producers follow fair labour practices.
They both have travelled extensively to find unique products and make contacts with suppliers. Kevin has travelled to Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia and will be heading to China in October.
Nina and Kevin describe the eye-catching mural on their original heritage home location as a turning point for their business.
It has turned out to be a great marketing idea by creating awareness for their store.
“Now we have the mindset; we are not afraid to take risk at all,” says Nina.
The couple has had numerous requests about franchising their concept and producing a catalogue. They say it is something they will seriously look at in the future. With three young children, and four stores to manage, they have their plate full right now. A Web site is being developed, and they plan to have it running by this Christmas.
They also provide some simple advice to other young entrepreneurs. Find a need, fill it, and be prepared to work harder than you have ever worked before.
