Shagg Romance Enhancement Centres Inc.

In their office at Shagg, owners Michael Pockett & Barry Williams proudly display a framed letter from their local MLA congratulating them on their recent "Retailer of the Year" nomination.

To the partners, this letter and nomination demonstrate just how successfully Shagg has shattered common perceptions about adult stores.

With years of management experience in the industry, Michael and Barry wanted to create a completely new type of shopping experience with a focus on women and couples. The store is tastefully merchandised and high-gloss white walls set off the recognizable pink logo. From the classic, clean window displays to the well dressed, friendly staff, the store feels like a high end fashion boutique in a hip area of a big city.

While the couple is now beginning to see the rewards of their hard work and persistence, they both agree it took a lot of effort to get where they are today. With guidance from Community Futures, Barry and Michael spent months researching and revising their plan and learning about their target market before getting into business - a step they both agree was very important to their success.

Michael and Barry's advice for would-be entrepreneurs is to take a look at what everyone else is doing...and then make sure to do something different and better!