Over the past six years, Laura Gaucher has turned her lifestyle into her career as owner of vintage western wear store Good Gals Vintage.
“I tried to commit to the bit, I guess,” Gaucher laughed. “I knew if I wanted to do this full-time I had to commit my full-time hours.
“I just dove head-first.”
Starting her business just before the pandemic, Gaucher’s already seen highs and lows.
Earlier this week, she was dealt one of the latter.
After styling a photoshoot for another local business — Routine Natural Beauty — Gaucher’s vehicle was broken into.
Vintage jackets, bolo ties, shorts, pants and more than a dozen cowboy hats — a collection that included some of Gaucher’s personal items — were gone.
“It feels a little crazy… they took like 15 to 20 cowboy hats. I don’t know how they were walking away with that — but it’s gone,” she said.
She estimates the items were worth between $3,000 and $5,000.
Making matters worse, it comes at the beginning of summer — Gaucher’s busiest time of year.
“The biggest thing for me is the cowboy hats, the belts and the bolo ties. They’re such a seller during Calgary Stampede. Everybody wants a cowboy hat. Everybody wants to wear a western belt to make their outfit a little more western.”
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While Gaucher says she still has lots of other items safe and sound, it represents a blow to her stock when she has very limited time to recoup what’s lost.
“I think any vintage dealer will tell you that we’re never not sourcing, for sure, but it’s definitely the most depleting this time,” she said.
“I have Stampede stuff and then I … have a booth at Calgary Folk Fest and some other festivals and stuff like that. So July is definitely my busiest season where I don’t necessarily have time to replenish.”
In the wake of the unfortunate news, Alberta’s small business and arts community is stepping up to help one of their own.
“It’s great having Laura here… she brings her own eclectic flair and obviously some of the coolest style around,” said Andrew Bullied, founder of Annex Ales.
The Calgary brewery and taproom has started a donation drive in hopes of giving Laura a hand.
“Come on by, have a beer… if you’ve got some nice vintage western wear, any donation will help. Laura needs to rebuild her business ahead of her busiest time.” Bullied said.
Lauren Gillis met Gaucher while Gillis was touring with an Alberta country artist, and Gaucher was selling clothes at pop-up shops along the way.
“Her and I were road-dogging it together,” laughed Gillis, who also goes by her stage name, Lucette.
“I also did vintage markets way back in the day so she had me at a couple of her markets and we got close over the music world.”
Gillis says she’s seen Gaucher’s business grow over the years, often intertwined with the Alberta music scene.
In times like this, she says it’s only natural the community Gaucher has served helps her out.
“Within the music and vintage selling community, everyone is on the same team,” Gillis said.
Gaucher is still holding out hope some of the precious items might pop up at local pawn shops or online. She says she’s still relatively stocked up and excited for the busy season ahead, including a market at Thomson Family Park from June 20-22.
But even in the span of a few days, the outpouring of support has helped to turn things around.
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