Tillsonburg entrepreneur finds niche in western wear
JEFF HELSDON
Editor
A young Tillsonburg entrepreneur's love for western fashion has become a successful business.
Nikki Van Brenk has a long-standing affection for all things western. The 20-year-old wore cowboy boots and
boot-cut jeans to
school, played the
guitar, and sang country music.
"I was a farmer; I loved hunting and the outdoors," she recalled. "We went
to rodeos once in a while and we used to board horses."
Noticing that the selection of western clothing was limited in Ontario, she decided to start a business after attending a western wear show in Dallas, TX.
"It was more impulsive than anything else," she said. "We went to a show and decided I'm going to do this and see how it goes.
The next step was for Van Brenk to connect to a wholesaler and start the company, which occurred in
2023.
Nikki's Western Outfitters carries a variety of hats, jeans, sweaters, and Red Back boots from manufacturers such as Pro Hats, Bullhide, Wrangler, and Rock and Roll Denim.
Speaking more to the RedBack boots, which are similar to Blundstones and are available with or without steel toes, she said, "They're the number one selling work boot in Australia. Everybody who tries them on falls in love with them because they have better arch support and thicker leather."
"It was a risk," she reflected. "I put all my funds from when I was 10 to when I was 19 in the business. I had to learn the industry."
The rodeos she used to attend "once in a while" became a constant in her life, setting up her booth at these shows across Southwestern Ontario most weekends from May to Thanks-giving. Her sister Megan often helps at the shows and her mother Lisa provides moral support.
"I loved the western wear clothing and love fashion," fit in."
she said. "It kind of
RETBACK
The business has been a success, necessitating a move from Van Brenk's parents' basement to a leased location at the corner of Ostrander Road and Cranberry Line. Mainly a warehouse, Van Brenk does sell out of the building by appointment.
When asked how the business became such a quick success, she an-swered,
"Personality, hard work, and
determination go a long way."
The company recently entered online sales with an online retail site. That, too, is going well, and Nikki's Western Outfitters has already shipped to Alberta, B.C., the Yukon, and the U.S In the coming year, she is investigating possibly setting up a booth at the Calgary Stampede and Boots and Hearts. Van Brenk wants to add a line of cowboy boots to her business and is discounting her clothing to make room for it.
The website is www.nikkiswestern-
outfitters.com
Nikki Van Brenk found a niche with limited availability of western wear in Southwestern Ontario and turned it into a successful business. The young entrepreneur recently moved to a larger location and expanded online sales.
(JEFF HELSDON)