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Jessica Mealey and Katie Burke found certain women being ignored when it came to fashion. After plenty of work, “lot of laughs,” and “a few decorating disasters,” the duo are set with Structure Wardrobe and Style. Mealey says one of their biggest challenges was the wait, but they learned patients. “We had amazing assistance locally with the [funding] process, but it was difficult to wait for meetings, paper work, applications, while in our minds, the wheels were in constant motion!” Jokes aside the major lesson learned was that, “dedication and confidence take on a whole new meaning when starting up a business.”
The idea is service. Structure plans to give its clients attention, “it’s about embracing your size, learning to dress for your body, and bringing clients appropriate clothing that enables them to achieve a desired look. People can expect trendy hip clothing made for them; clothing that is designed well and flatters each and every shape.”
Structure has furnished its racks with designer clothing by “researching plus size women; what they find most appealing, and what they feel is missing from the existing plus size stores.” Then the two took off; Mealey jet-set away to a plus size fashion expo in Toronto, taking in runways and meeting designers. “Katie spent some time in New York visiting showrooms and networking to find out what’s hot and what the latest trends are in plus size fashions.”
Most of what they’ve sourced in terms of product is American, though one line hails from Toronto; that’s not to say they’re not open to more Canadian content. “We’d love to find a local designer who was interested in creating some pieces. We’ll also be looking into local accessory designers and local artists/photographers to display their work in our space.”
Everything from belts to jewellery will be available to accessorize and the ladies plan to offer up some specialty lingerie and undergarments in the near future.
Worried all this sounds a bit too lavishly expensive? Mealey assures that “Structure has something for everyone.” The price ranges are variable and while still designer, they plan to carry casual wear along with the career and high fashion lines.
Located in Churchill Square, the boutique will offer “a very modern, yet very comfortable” atmosphere with “a large retail space, seating area and a more separated studio room for make-up applications and consultations.” Burke and Mealey wanted to go for “the feeling of an exclusive women’s club.”
Still striving to offer women even more, Structure will offer “makeup for all women, for any occasion,” with regular application ($50.00) or by airbrush ($70.00). They’re currently only offering the service but eventually plan to offer full makeup lines. For those Brides out there wondering, Structure will do group bookings for makeup applications and will also do special orders for gowns through their designer suppliers.
Structure Wardrobe and Style opens May 1st at 11:00am with the Grand Opening on May 2nd in the evening complete with refreshments and a fashion show previewing this season’s hottest looks.
originally published November 2008
Bang 10 Poster
Almost 9 months to the day Current ran a piece about Liquid Ice closing its door’s for the last time. Those doors did reopen and while there was no name change, there were new owners. Stacy Coish and the original team said they weren’t going anywhere and true to their word, Liquid Ice Promotions has made good on that promise. Already the group has successfully put off 2 events and the third Liquid Ice Promotions presentation happens in just one week!
The scene for djing and electronic music has exponentially grown in St. John’s over the last few years especially. It’s a community that was really always there but the culture has grown and more people understand the artistic merit behind it. Coish has recognized and understood the different sounds and sub-genres for years along with the partners and resident dj’s he’s worked with, past and present. He’s responsible for not only exposing the St. John’s scene to some of the world’s most incredible djing talents, he’s also fostered a lot of the local talent by providing them with truly creative venues to play in.
After turning away from the weekly business, the promotions company can just focus on putting off concentrated events that pack a punch. The first two were hosted by The Abbey, a gourmet restaurant tucked away in The Spa at the Monastery. Guests were treated to a fine meal with an intimate dance party afterwards. The first, in June, featured the talents of Toronto’s Sydney Blu and the second, 2 months later, brought back former cornerstone Liquid Ice resident Kevin Penny.
Passionate patrons of the former Liquid Ice will also remember the place was famous for monthly events. Liquid Love for Valentines Day and Scared for Halloween, which was sorely missed last week. But, there’s no need to fret! One of those monthly events – BANG! – which is the longest running dj event and anniversary of the first party ever thrown is not even close to retirement yet. For its third event, Liquid Ice Promotions is holding on to BANG for the 10th year and it couldn’t be bigger.
Bang 10 will feature the talents of DJ Exacta, a resident dj from New York City whose accomplishments continue to grow and include the world’s finest nightclubs. Exacta took up residency at Pacha in 2005 when the NYC location was opened and he’s played at the original Ibiza location as well as Amnesia, Godskitchen in the UK, Space in Miami and Guvernment in Toronto. He’s played alongside tastemakers and trendsetters like Pete Tong, Oakenfold and Tiesto as well as David Guetta and Armand Van Helden. On November 15th he’ll play alongside the local talents of m0xY, Sina, Mike Taylor and Leo Van Ulden at The Stellar Club on Henry Street.
Exacta’s sound has been described as sexy and unique and is genuinely rooted in a soul education from listening to records in his basement in Queens as a child. He picked up the drums and joined his highschool jazz band but turned them in for turntables eventually becoming a dj in New York City hip hop clubs. His evolutionary sound brought him to house and he’s produced over a dozen of his own tracks as well as mixes for Suzanne Palmer, Paris Hilton and Nelly Furtado.
There’s more information about Exacta’s incredible talents and sounds available on his website at www.djexacta.com. The night promises to be the most explosive Liquid Ice Promotion to date and for an incredibly reasonable advance price of $20 a ticket, which are available at Icons (115 Duckworth Street). What’s amazing is that it would be impossible to see him perform for anything less then that in any of the other world venue’s that you might catch him in. The best part – you don’t even have to leave your backyard and the best St. John’s has to offer will welcome him here in style
originally published October 2008
Newfoundlanders love showing off their home. Tourism in this province welcomes half a million people every year and locals become known and complimented as friendly and hospitable time and again. I love inviting friends from my travels to come visit me in the future. In August one from Toronto, relocated to London, UK came for a few days and thought there was something wrong with everyone here they were so nice. He had an incredibly memorable first visit. This month a friend of 5 years, also from Toronto, came back only 9 moths after his first visit. With major highlights covered, we planned to get the one we’d missed – a Screech In – covered during a boat tour but North East winds kept the boat in.
We went to Trapper John’s to end his trip with at least part of our plans for his last night. As we entered I joked they were the McDonald’s of the ceremony, comparing the “52,000 Screeched In” on the sign. Knowing Trapper’s had a frequency from bringing people there in the past, we went first thing to check if it was on the hour. It was about 5:30pm and a Cruise ship had arrived just a few hours earlier so we figured there’d be no trouble. The bartender said she finished at 6pm and the person starting then did the ceremony if we wanted to wait and ask her, she saw no reason why it couldn’t happen then or shortly after. So, we hung around and bought a couple of drinks. At 6pm a guy took over, letting us know she’d called in late and wouldn’t arrive until 7:30pm. He said he was new and not ready to do it himself so I left my cell number and said we could busy ourselves asking him to please call after talking to her.
By 7:35pm we’d still heard nothing and with everything done we went back. Sure enough she was there and just sitting on a stool. I approached and asked if she was the woman we’d been waiting for making a light joke. She nodded obviously indicating she knew some information, though we were never called. I continued, asking if we could get started after having waited a few hours and been told to come back at so many different times. She pointed to a dry erase board with “8pm” on it and said we’d have to wait until then. At that point I was completely done with waiting and frustrated. We left and tried Christian’s as plan B only to find out they do one Screech In daily – at 11:15pm. He told us it was $15 instead of $5 but the best, “by the guy that invented it!” I appreciated his enthusiasm and the fact that he’d been upfront from the start.
We continued to discuss our disappointment while picking up my friends last gifts at the Tickle Trunk. The clerk working overheard and kindly offered that the downtown Liquor Store across from Mile One also performs them, so we walked up there as a last stitch effort but they’d closed at 5:30pm, which was expected but we wanted to try at least. He appreciated all the effort and plans to return for a third trip, this time to leave the city and take a cross-island camping trip. I’m looking forward to it and finally making him an honorary Newfoundlander, as they say – third time’s a charm (most of the time)!
a MESS of commentary 