Grow in the B.C. Rockies

Melissa MacKay saw a niche that needed to be filled in Fernie, and she has built a successful business doing that

by Marie Milner — January 30, 2013

Flat-roofed grey-brick two-storey building stands at the corner of a downtown street.

1 of 2Grow Children's & Maternity Co. occupies the old Fernie Livery building on Second Avenue in downtown Fernie, B.C. — Marie Milner photo

Close-up of smiling blonde, brown-eyed woman in a black ski jacket, with children's toys and furnishings in the background

2 of 2Melissa MacKay is the owner/operator of Grow Children's & Maternity Co. in Fernie, B.C. — Marie Milner photo

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Melissa MacKay had her first Christmas dinner in Fernie 10 years ago, with 30 new friends at the ski hill. This West Coast transplant loved the warmth of the Rocky Mountain community, and she has lived in Fernie ever since.

Filling a niche

After careful research, MacKay opened her business, Grow Children’s & Maternity Co., three years ago. The only one of its type in the Elk Valley, her business has been so successful that MacKay recently moved her merchandise into a 2,800-square-foot space in the beautiful old Fernie Livery building, across from Overwaitea Foods on Second Avenue. The store is big, and it’s full.

“We have a small, popular section of consignment maternity clothes,” MacKay said. “We carry car seats and other children’s equipment, outdoor clothing, toys, and arts and crafts supplies. There are three play centres for kids, and we have a you’re-allowed-to-touch-everything policy.”

MacKay and her three employees keep the store open seven days a week. Her own frustration with finding businesses closed when she needs them to be open makes her committed to providing service to her customers every day.

Life outside of work

Like many business owners, MacKay could easily become fixated on work and miss out on the very things that attracted her to Fernie.

“My husband (Mike MacKay) and I make it a priority to take time to enjoy our environment,” she said. “We are avid fly-fishers. Our home backs onto the Elk River, and it’s just a few steps for us to throw out some flies and catch a few trout. We’re into camping and mountain biking—not the extreme trails but the calm ones. We enjoy going to the lakes in the south country, even if it’s just to swim for an hour after work. We are both snowboarders, and this year we’re learning to ski as well.”

The MacKays decided recently to have a “staycation” at Island Lake Lodge on the edge of Fernie.

“It was an amazing two days of wonderful food, wonderful accommodation and wonderful cat-skiing,” MacKay said.

Her contribution

MacKay supports her community as a board member of the Fernie Chamber of Commerce. She enjoys seeing her business community from that perspective and learning what it takes to get things done.

In order to be legally allowed to instruct her customers and community members about the safe use of children's car seats in every type of vehicle, MacKay decided to get certified as a child passenger safety educator through the Justice Institute of B.C. and the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC).

“Teck Coal paid for the course to come here, which was lucky for us,” she said. “Teck is all about safety. Of the eight people who took the course in Fernie, I’m the only one applying the course knowledge locally.”

MacKay does free training sessions on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays—outdoors, in the environment where most people will be dealing with car seat installation.

“For new parents with newborns, I will go to their homes and do hands-on practice,” MacKay said, “but everyone else comes to the store.”