Entrepreneurs: Joelle and Jeff Cooling

Businesses: Joelle's and Jeff's Guyshop
www.joelles.com
www.jeffsguyshop.com

Happy Shopping!

Joelle’s and Jeff’s Guyshop Cater to the Family Shopping Experience

Entrepreneurial parents, Joelle and Jeff Cooling, are no strangers to ‘life with kids’. The pair run their highly successful retail business and have two and three year old boys.

At 28, almost ten years ago, Joelle opened a tiny women’s clothing boutique on John St. in Burlington. From the get-go, she included baby and kids gifts and maternity clothes, recognizing the various stages of the customer she was targeting.

Two years later, the workaholic met Jeff Cooling and two years after that the couple were married. Jeff was working in sales at Coca Cola. Joelle’s was a growing concern. The store expanded to a larger location on Brant Street.

In 2002, Jackson was born! NOMINATION bracelets had just taken off. The store was so busy that Jeff took paternity leave – a wonderful experience! The crib that was on display at Joelles soon became the resting place for baby Jackson. Jeff got to know Joelle’s customers and a lot of their husbands.

“There was an incredible amount of families coming in to the store”, states Jeff. “Guys were constantly asking when a men’s line would be added to the mix.”

There wasn’t a men’s store anywhere that mimicked Joelle’s concept.

Jeff started going to buying appointments with Joelle, baby in toe, and Jeff learned about the purchasing side of the business. Having worked in a menswear store for several years, he was already familiar with the sales and merchandising aspects.

Paternity leave ended, but there was a twist. When Jackson was merely four months old, the couple found out that baby number two was on its way!

“It was an exciting and hectic time”, claims Joelle.

“Before we knew it, Carter was born and we had two babies and an opportunity to move next door in to a much larger location. We couldn’t pass it up.”

Jeff left Coca Cola to persue the men’s business.

The newest location is 5300 square feet and houses an expanded women’s clothing, accessories, maternity, gifts and kids store (now features a dress area and a wall of premium denim), as well as a men’s area called Jeff’s Guyshop.

The boys as babies spent a lot of time in the store, which certainly encouraged the child-friendly environment that already existed. Joelle’s staff plays a huge role, as they were wonderfully supportive through all of the changes. They are very aware of the importance of family and how it contributes to the success of the business.

The children’s area is a popular place for kids as their parents are shopping. The weekends bring many families and expectant parents. The design of the store is stroller friendly and automatic front doors make entering and exiting easy.

Jeff’s Guyshop is experiencing better than expected growth and Joelle’s continues to offer an up-to-the-minute product selection in all of its areas. The boys are two and three, and Jackson is already helping mommy pick out toys for the kids section! A family affair, indeed.

“It gives us so much joy to offer such a special place to shop; a place where people can feel at ease when their kids are with them.” Not to mention, the shopping is great!

BABY STUFF: Robeez, Pedipeds, Bees Knees, Whoozit, Manhatttan Baby, Substance, Bug and Pickle and more.

KIDSTUFF: Crocodile Creek, Manhattan Toy, Groovy Girls, Small Paul by Paul Frank, Lacoste

MATERNITY: Bravado, Lilypads, Petunia Picklebottom, Belly Basics, Maternal America, Citizens of Humanity and more

FOR HER: Esprit, Mexx, InWear, G1, Fidelity, Jessie May and so much more!!!

FOR HIM: Lacoste, Ben Sherman, Seven for All Mankind, Report Collection, Matinique, Swiss Army and more.

Check out our websites www.joelles.com and www.jeffsguyshop.com