Dear Loyal Customers, Followers, Supporters, & Friends,

When I opened Uni+Koncept in 2016, I was 27 years old. I had no business experience, and I was not yet a wife, or a mother. What I did have was a lot of passion for experiential shopping, an eye for sourcing functional but stylish apparel, and a desire to bring fresh and innovative events to the region. 

From the beginning I never wanted to solely have an e-commerce shop because I LOVE the human interaction aspect of retail. The past year has made me a bit of a recluse, but I’m back and want to share a little more of myself with you.

I had to consider what the future of Uni+Koncept holds with this new way of life. I’ll admit that over the past couple of months I deliberated closing the shop all-together. I even found someone to take over my lease. Honestly, for a moment, I found inner peace in that decision. A massive weight was lifted off my shoulders. Primarily because I couldn’t and haven’t been there for you in the way that I wanted to be. 

The responsibilities of raising a toddler, having a newborn, maintaining the chores of a household, and being pulled in many different directions without being 100% in anything was isolating. Worst of all I was feeling guilt for not showing up to support my staff the way that I had in the past. Truthfully, I started to feel sorry for myself, and all women who are forced to choose between their businesses or motherhood. It’s disheartening to put your blood, sweat and tears into a business, beat numerous obstacles along the way, and still have to pick one path. Why can’t we have it all?! 

After making the decision to let go of my business, I didn’t sleep all night. I got up the next day and told my husband that I can’t do it. I’m not a quitter. Quite honestly, I wouldn’t be a good mom, or wife if I couldn’t keep the part of my life that makes me ultimately happy-- which is my interactions with you. Curating new brands, and styling is what gives me the creative outlet that I don’t get anywhere else. I was making my decision to close in haste because I felt unmotivated and defeated by the state of the world. 

Since opening in 2016, our lives have evolved significantly and I’m grateful for those of you who have followed along the way. Specifically, the past 2 years have completely changed the way that we operate as a society in our day-to-day lives. 

After a lot of soul searching on how to provide the best possible experience for you while continuing to do what I love, I’ve finally come up with a solution. It’s not some innovative approach that I’m taking credit for, but by creating an appointment-based shopping experience we can customize the interaction centred to your unique needs. Although Unik Staff has always been trained on creating bespoke experiences, this way your time will be uninterrupted, & guaranteed YOURS! We will include some bubbly, coffee, or tea. You may even request a charcuterie board, or desserts for your styling session. Don’t worry, there is NO pressure to buy, and the website will be open 24/7 for your shopping needs. In addition, we will be open to the public 3X/week (no appointment necessary), In-store pick-ups, local deliveries, & shipping will continue to be in effect. 

So what has changed you ask? Well, by providing appointment-based shopping, I’m going to ensure that I can make myself available to you. This is after-all the part of the job that I love! Creating a schedule that is mutually beneficial, we can have an efficient and fun shopping session. You can let me know what events you have coming up, and even bring some of your existing wardrobe that we can style together.  

If you’re a business owner, then you know how exhausting the past few years have been in terms of pivoting and adjusting your business based on the latest mandates. For the first time in a long time, I’m truly excited for this new chapter as I navigate motherhood and the vision that I have for Uni+Koncept. Appointments will be available starting in February while we use the month of January to make some minor updates to the shop, rebrand, and make room for all new inventory. 

Don't hesitate to ask any questions. I can't wait to play dress up with you! :)

Always,

Unik

Ps. February also means that our 6^th annual Galentine’s day event is coming up! I’ve already finished a lot of the buying for it, and I’m sure you’ll LOVE the pieces! AHH can’t wait.