Discover the Escape You Didn’t Know You Needed —
T he story behind Phoenix Domes begins with Freyja Skye going in multiple entrepreneurial directions. It was not until an idea that was far from conventional construction brought life to her belief that the spaces we inhabit should be as imaginative as the lives we live. It is this belief, fueled by Freyja’s passion for craftsmanship and creativity, that has evolved into a successful business based on adaptability. Freyja, who grew up in Germany and came to Canada in her twenties, dreamed of being an architect in her teenage years, but after completing an internship, she decided that career path wasn’t for her. Soon after, Freyja launched a clothing line focused on dance wear, yoga wear, and natural fiber clothing. The business allowed her to follow her heart as a dancer and circus performer while being her main livelihood for many years and a huge learning opportunity in entrepreneurship. After sixteen years, the clothing line had fallen and wasn’t doing well. Freyja decided to put her creativity and past love for architecture to work, creating her first dome. “I built my first dome from scratch and at first, used it as a circus studio, teaching classes. I lived in it for a summer while I rented my house out to pay for the dome. I was always interested in domes; the geometry fascinates me,” says Freyja. She used a big table vice a friend had purchased at a yard sale to create that first dome - ten years later, and that dome is still standing. After working with a factory to create a couple more domes, Freyja had planned to rent them as vacation rentals, but unfortunately, the area she was living in was cutting back
on the opening of new Airbnb rentals. While this disrupted her plans, she built one of the domes on her property, posted some pictures on Facebook, and suddenly received a lot of comments and interest. So she decided to build a simple website to showcase and sell the domes! While it was slow to start, the word got out and demand increased. Unlike many businesses that got hit hard during COVID, Phoenix Domes was able to succeed and grow. “We sold a lot of the restaurant patio domes, the smaller all-clear ones that you put over a table outside. With the social distancing rules, we sold hundreds of those offering a social distancing solution for restaurants so they could stay open during COVID”, states Freyja. Freyja officially started and incorporated Phoenix Domes in January of 2020. Since then, she has had her share of challenges, with the biggest ones being supply chain issues, quality control, and warehousing logistics. “At first, I had things shipped to my farm on Salt Spring Island, which involved ferries. I had them under a pop-up tent in the driveway, trying to sort things and have carriers to pick them up again. Then, traveling to Vancouver, sorting materials in the shipping yards, before getting them to the warehouse, which almost quit on us because the materials were packaged so poorly that it was just too difficult for them to store and ship. Quality control was another issue. It took a lot of back and forth with our manufacturing partners to ensure that customers were happy with the dome packages they were receiving. It is not good for business when customers are unhappy about something they’re spending a lot of money on.”
But Will
Never Forget!
Welcome to Island Beach Hideaways, an adults-only sanctuary designed for those who crave luxury, adventure, and something completely different from the ordinary getaway. Set across 11 private, nature-rich acres, this waterfront retreat offers a front-row seat situated between two peaceful harbours and the stunning St. George’s Bay, creating a panoramic backdrop you won’t find anywhere else. Here, your stay unfolds inside architecturally stunning luxury domes, tucked away in their own secluded pocket of this unique barrier island. It’s where upscale comfort meets raw coastal beauty, and every detail invites you to unwind, explore, and reconnect. This is more than a retreat. It’s an experience crafted exclusively for adults who want the extraordinary. A place where luxury feels effortless, nature feels closer, and every moment feels uniquely yours! Island Beach Hideaways — For the seekers, the dreamers, the luxury lovers, and the ones ready for a stay that stands apart from the rest.
Our biggest customer base is those who offer or are looking to get into short-term accommodations. ” “
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HEALTH & WELLNESS • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE 87 www.islandbeachhideaways.ca
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