Esby & Soph
Esby & SophEsby & Soph was born from Anja Christensen's desire to find fashionable clothing and accessories for her son, Esben. The name was a combination of the names of her son and her niece. In 2013, Christensen opened an online store and it went so well that she opened a small retail shop at the corner of Davis and Mitton Streets. In 2014, Nichole Young came on board as a partner and the store moved to its current location at 155 Front Street North. Young had met Christensen at Lambton College; Christensen was an instructor, Young was a returning student with years of sales experience. The pair wanted to be part of the downtown revitalization.
In December 2017, Christensen made the difficult decision to leave the partnership. "I understood her decision completely. She will always be the person I bounce ideas off," explains Young. "I'm still in the process of learning how to run the business solo but I have the support of an awesome team." Young credits her three staff, who make it possible for her to be away from the store to do the purchasing. She works with sales representatives to ensure that Esby & Soph is the only retailer with their lines west of Toronto. "We carry several beautiful European lines you can't find anywhere else."
Esby & Soph carries baby and children's clothing and accessories from carefully sourced designers and brands worldwide. Young seeks out unique pieces in limited quantities to allow kids to showcase their individuality. "We carry products for newborn to size 16. Outside of big box stores, there are limited options for children's clothes in Sarnia. Kids don't all want to dress the same, so I'm always walking a tightrope trying to balance stylish and trendy pieces at the right price point with what is age-appropriate." Young's favorite line is Silkberry Baby. "It is designed in Vancouver and all made from bamboo and organic cotton. I think all children's clothing should be made of bamboo. It's anti-static, anti-bacterial, UV protective, dry wicking and a renewable resource."
Originally only carrying children's clothing, when Christensen and Young relocated the store, they decided to try stocking a few baby items to see if they would sell. Three years later, half of their business comes from baby clothes and accessories. "Every day we see people who are celebrating the birth of a new baby or a birthday. The energy they bring into the store is so positive. Esby & Soph is a celebratory place." Young prides herself on Esby & Soph's customer service. "When you live in a city of 73,000 people, word of mouth goes a long way. We go out of our way to provide excellent customer service. We have loyal customers whose children and grandchildren we have watched grow up." She also appreciates the relationships that she had built over the years through Esby & Soph. "I'm a people person and I love engaging with our customers, suppliers, sales reps, delivery people and downtown neighbours."
Related Stories
Vision Nursing & Rest Home
In 1974, a group of Sarnia business people came together to establish Vision 74 Inc., a non-profit charitable organization that would be of service to the community. The group built Vision Nursing home in 1974 with 60 long-term care beds at 229 Wellington Street. The long-term care beds increased
MIG Engineering Ltd.
MIG Engineering (2011) Ltd. (MIG) is celebrating 60 years of providing engineering services to Sarnia-Lambton. The company was officially formed in 1959 by James Andrew Monteith and Gary Ingram, who founded Monteith-Ingram Enginee...
Noelle's Gift to Children
Noelle's Gift is a registered, non-profit charitable organization and is run by a volunteer board of 21 people, including teachers, business owners and community members. Noelle's sister Nicole explains that the funds that they raise go to support many different local initiatives, all benefiting
Coffee Lodge
Good food, good coffee, good people - these are the driving forces behind Sarnia-Lambtons original coffee house and café. For over 20 years, Coffee Lodge has been brewing coffee, serving chef-inspired food and some of the best beans in the county. When first established, owner Leo Stathakis was
Related Stories
Pathways Health Centre For Children
Long before 1950, Rotarians and the Sarnia community recognized the need for local therapy in Sarnia-Lambton for children with physical disabilities. That first year, the Rotary Club provided services to 18 children in church halls and basements. 68 years later, Pathways Health Centre for Children a
Skeeter Barlow's
George Stathis tapped out of his family's Sarnia-based restaurant business and took a different path, moving out west to become a driller on a drilling rig. Ten years later, he couldn't resist the temptation to get back into the kitchen. A cousin of mine called me and said he had a small rest
Slipacoff Dental Centre
Dentistry has been part of the Slipacoff family for over 40 years. Dr. Lennie Slipacoff graduated from the University of Western Ontario's School of Dentistry in 1981 and immediately established his dentistry practice in Sarnia. His wife Cindy was a dental hygienist at the practice for 39 years be
Caryl Baker Visage
Caryl Baker Visage has serviced thousands of faces since it opened in Sarnia's Bayside Mall almost forty years ago. The store’s current owner, Jennifer Crawford, has carried on the tradition in her current Lambton Mall location. C...