Reason #1 – YOU!
We believe it’s going to be a great year because of YOU! Dare I even say great year. Our clients are people like you that value hand crafted quality products, you are educated & empathetic humans that want to make the world a better place thru good design and personal relationships. This makes our year so much better.
Every experience we have here at Rainbow is what collectively makes or breaks a good year for us. And we know we have the best clients. Clients like you that advocate for your clients needs and push design boundaries to create a vision to make something happen that never existed before. We solve your technical problems all day long while keeping things beautiful. We believe our best clients are the ones that come back time after time trusting in the process and in the experience that Rainbow brings. So thank you!
Reason #2 – incremental moments
At Rainbow we believe it is those tiny incremental moments that when all added up make up the big deals! I mean that is the nature of what we do here…take a bajillion tiny details and put them all together for one completed project. But let’s get deeper for a moment, when we reflect on the past year we recognize some pretty big deals that seemed to creep up on us. Time has a funny way of slipping by.
For example Rainbow celebrated 50 years in business. Cheryl, our fearless drapery leader, achieved 25 years with the company along with one of our seamstresses Barbara who joined the company one week after Cheryl in 1996. Even Penny, little sis, celebrated 20 years last year. Honestly we all didn’t even see it coming, one day at a time it just seems to pass and accumulate and suddenly we are recognizing decades of work. Even I (Kim) look forward to saying this year that I have been with Rainbow for 20 years! Perhaps its upon reflection that we can see the greatness that happened along the way, it’s a matter of perspective. I mean 20 years ago I started in the back covering boards carving out a plan for my future I never thought I would be carving out my dream job. Which I truly feel I have right now, especially as I write this post from my cozy little desk and big monitor.
Reason #3 – Hard work
But it is not without hardships. Our biggest challenge (next to supply chain issues, backorders, discontinued materials, and the ugh constant hurdles of a global pandemic) okay deep breath…our biggest challenge was getting the boot from our old location. We had been “prepped” by our landlord that “someday” in the next 2 – 5 years the building was going to get bought out by the city and demolished so an off ramp for the new overpass could go up on 127 Street. Well, in the end we got a 90 days official notice to be out.
Luckily for me and the future of Rainbow, Cheryl decided she wasn’t quite done with this little sewing room. That decision did not come without full mood swings all the way from considering to close, sell, or in the end, move the business. It was INSANE. But what doesn’t kill ya….right?
We find ourselves saying that a lot these days for all kinds of reasons, but truthfully we also believe we are in a better place. What can I say our eternally optimistic can-do attitude has gotten us this far, why would it be different this year? We are good at the hard work. We are prepared for it, we have experience with it, and we are willing to do it. I mean “anything worth doing is worth doing right” I can still here my Dad’s voice saying this to me.
BYE BYE Yellowhead! Sorry not sorry to see you go
Reason #4 – history tells us we will prevail
Rainbow Draperies was opened in 1971 and serviced clients with the help of decorators. That’s 50 years of navigating the needs of the industry. In the early 70s it was common to order your curtains out of a Sears catalogue, well guess who was behind that manufacturing? You guessed it Rainbow Draperies. Rainbow has grown over the years in exposure becoming a highly reputable manufacturer to the trade and now services decorators, designers and builders with in house design firms. That sure was not a thing in 1971.
We are proud of the difference we have established here over the years. The trends change, the clients change even the way we order custom drapery has changed since Rainbow has been around. But some things stay the same, and that’s the quality you can expect from Rainbow. Quality never goes out of style. It’s like buying winter tires for the first time and realizing “wow this truly does make a difference in my life” #grownupstuff. We appreciate all of you who see and recognize the difference. Thank you.
We continue to be as competitive and fair in our pricing but simply put we offer an experience like no one else. We’ve been around for a long time and the heart and soul of what we do here has seen recessions, economic booms and even the HGTV movement and how the made-for-TV-design has impacted client expectations. Another ugh.
I mean honestly, we are so old school our CEO Cheryl still stands across the table with the seamstresses ensuring every flaw, pattern repeat and detail is looked over by her before taking scissors to the fabric. You think the CEO of a big box store could say this? That has never changed in all the years. No matter how many backorders we see or how much cr*p the box stores put out, history tells us that quality and good reputations will prevail. We have been through things. We have bounced back. We will keep going just like history has a way of ticking by.
Cheryl Meiklejohn – fearless drapery leader
Reason #5 – New staff member – Welcome Sherri!
The New Year not only brings a change of location for us, a time to reflect but also a change in staff too. Now here in 2022, after a few months of adjusting to a new space we have hired Sherri! So next time you phone or email admin@rainbowdraperies you will likely be connecting with her first, she comes recently from Calgary where she worked for an architecture firm as an interior designer but before that she came from Cheryl’s large farm family. Cousin Sherri is Mom’s sister Marg’s youngest daughter! Can you believe it?
Just when we thought we had hired all the family members possible here comes another good fit at just the right time. Quite serendipitous. For those of you who are new to Rainbow and don’t know what I am talking about, Sherri is the 18th family/friend that Cheryl has put on payroll over the past 25 years. Sadly Kerry is no longer with us and we are going to miss her. We love Kerry’s big heart, her infectious smile and her attention to client’s needs, but her life has taken her in a new direction and we are so excited for her to follow her next path. But with that we hope you will welcome Sherri as our newest member freeing up Cheryl’s time once again so she can focus on what’s next for Rainbow.
Sherri Woolley – newest member to the Rainbow team
Reason #6 – YOU! It has to be said again
Like I said, it’s all about relationships around here, and we look forward to getting to know you better this year. That is truly why we think 2022 is going to be a good/great year. Because of YOU! Please don’t hesitate to reach out and connect. We are all about the fun that comes with fabric and custom manufacturing, so when you are ready to add that tactile touch to your design project that’s when we want you think of Rainbow and give us a call! Or reach out below with our contact form and come see the difference.
Cheers! To a fabulous and prosperous New Year!
Kim and the rest of the team at Rainbow