In June of 2020, MacNeil and her husband moved back to Cape Breton for the summer and worked re- motely. Due to the pandemic, the Mabou Farmer’s Market decided to open with tight restrictions and very few vendors. MacNeil took the opportunity to work as a full-time vendor that summer which made a huge differ - ence for her brand. Being a regular vendor and always ensuring high-quality products was noticed by regular marketgoers, and they got to know her personally in the process. With overall online shopping increasing during the pandemic, her online store started picking up as well. By the summer of 2021, more people were travelling and attending markets. MacNeil launched her Coast- al Collection, which brought fresh, bright colours and more of that Cape Breton familiarity to her customers. From mid-October to the end of December, MacNeil’s brother-in-law was available to work a pop-up store for her while she continued her full-time job at Dalhou- sie University. She worked in the pop-up store on the weekends, which turned out to be a remarkably suc- cessful venture. MacNeil decided to launch a Makers and Bakers Pop-up weekend series at the store. This would highlight local bakers and help showcase their products. The Makers and Bakers launch also result- ed in local customers coming back to the store to see something new and exciting on a regular basis. After a successful pop-up store, MacNeil was ready to start considering a permanent location. She had her heart set on a location in Inverness, her bookkeeping company was willing to go the extra mile in helping her work on a business plan. After months of planning, figuring out finances, and trying to locate the building owner, the right connections led her to secure the build- ing. The previous owner loved her plans for the store. Her brand, quality, and inclusion of other local artisans sealed the deal for him to sell to her. “Everything fell into place in a way that it was almost like a movie. It was amazing. I didn’t know all the steps, but I’m not afraid to ask the questions,” said MacNeil. With a lengthy list of those small, random conversa- tions and questions that led to the opening of her store, MacNeil goes on to say, “Most of my professional ad- visors throughout all of this have been women, and absolutely stellar, incredible people. When you look at the list of people, I have that I can ask questions to, it’s pretty awesome. I feel really lucky in that regard as well.” The Corner Store by missbrenna is in a building with a long history. An absolute dream come true for
MacNeil; she says she never thought about opening a store anywhere else. She grew up going to the con- venience store that used to be there with her family and cousins. Her customers feel that same nostalgia when they walk in. It is a comforting place for MacNeil. A place for community connections, memories to be shared, and candy to be eaten. While choosing a name for the store, MacNeil con- sidered the local connection. It is located in the first community before you enter Inverness from the south side, called The Corner. Considering the community’s name and the fact it was a convenience/corner store for many years, with family input and local inspiration, MacNeil chose The Corner Store by missbrenna. This represents the place, the history, and her brand name all at once. MacNeil says community response to the name has been positive. For anyone who has been following the brand for a long time, they don’t just have one piece from the Love Cape Breton Collection. MacNeil introduces collections with limited quantities, limited colours, and new logos. The anticipation of when it will come out, what the new design will be, and when it will sell out keeps her loyal fanbase coming back for more. MacNeil finds inspira - tion for her designs from various aspects of Cape Bret- on Island itself. From walking along the beach to Celtic traditions and even drawing from phrases the locals use. She enjoys changing it up frequently, by ordering unique items including socks, hats, and windbreakers to name a few. Not knowing if, or when the product will be back again is part of her brand. “Most of my professional advisors throughout all of this have been women, and absolutely stellar, incredible people.” MacNeil says she considers her customer base while placing orders. She tries to keep her clothing orders mostly with Nova Scotian companies and she is mind- ful of ordering high quality. “There’s a story that goes with each of these products” she explains. MacNeil supports local businesses as often as possible and is grateful for the local support she has been given throughout her journey. MacNeil leaves the interview with a hint that
missbrenna fans have a new collection to look forward to in the upcoming future with a brand-new logo. But in the meantime, she is keeping busy with her store. She continues to support local artists and local busi- nesses by putting on workshops. She has rented out her kitchen to a local vendor who has helped more of her visions come to life. While there are mostly Nova Scotian-based products, MacNeil notes that there are also fine foods products from Quebec and Italy as well. Gathering rare items that may not otherwise be avail- able in Cape Breton gives The Corner Store by miss- brenna that extra hint of adventure within the comfort of The Corner. After living in Halifax for 25 years, Mac - Neil is happy to be home and giving her daughter the Island life, she grew up with. To keep up with Brenna MacNeil, her designs, and business events, make sure to follow her on social media. We also recommend that you stop by and say hello the next time you are making your way through Cape Breton, you’ll be happy that you did.
SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • VOL 23 ISSUE 3
VOL 23 ISSUE 3 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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