Gurdeep Nagra is living out a dream she has had since her college years.
She has opened her own women’s fashion boutique, called Sahali on Harrison Avenue in Parksville — something she had dreamed about since enrolling in fashion college many years ago.
“I’d always wanted to do this,” she said, “and never thought it would happen.”
Yet, it’s funny how things can sometimes turn out.
Nagra, who runs the Bodyworks Fitness facilities in Parksville with her husband Dale, added some stylish handbags and other products to the Bodyworks Fitness for Women facility weeks ago and it was customers’ response to that, that had Nagra closer to her dream.
One of her customers, she explained, spoke to her last September about attending a trade show in Vancouver. So, interested, she joined her and made the trip.
It began a whole new path for Nagra.
“The boutique idea began to grow (at the fitness facility location), so I decided to move to a downtown storefront location.”
Now, Nagra has opened Sahali — meaning girfriend in Indian — on Harrison Avenue, across from the Telus office.
“It’s a pretty store,” she said. “Women like bling.”
She carries fashionable handbags, jewelry, shoes, housewares and a lot more. The first thing you notice is the colour — and there’s lots of it. It’s a bright store with lots to see.
Nagra has been to trade shows leading up to her opening last week, including a jaunt to Toronto.
She will have Sahali’s grand opening this Wednesday, May 11, during her open hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. — those will be her hours Tuesday through Saturday.
“Parksville needs this,” she said. “It offers a great selection that would normally have people going out of town to get it.”
Nagra said she will always be updating her inventory and talking with her customers to bring in the latest trends and fashions.
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