Mother and daughter team Joan and Jazmyn Douillard opened a new chapter in their lives when they purchased a store in Williams Lake.
Last November they bought the Book Bin, changed the name to 1st Editions: Books & Toys, and have been recently expanding the store to focus on toys.
It’s the first time the duo has owned a business together.
“I had a gallery in Kelowna and after that was a graphic designer,” Jazmyn said.
Joan has lived in Williams Lake steadily for nine years with her husband and operated a salon in her home right up until the store purchase.
Her father first came to Williams Lake almost 40 years ago. Joan and her family moved back and forth a few times.
“We always loved the area so when we decided to leave Kelowna it was easy to move back,” Joan said. “I love the people. I like the temperatures and it’s slower paced, but people are really gung-ho.”
A huge section of the store is now devoted to toys, which the Douillards decided to carry after Sandy Fehr from the former Wise Owl Toys approached them to consider continuing with some of her suppliers.
After Fehr brought in some catalogues, the two told her they’d give it a try, and Fehr’s been helping them decide what to bring in ever since.
They now carry many popular brands such as Schleich, Wow!, Breyer, Folkmanis Puppets and Alex crafts. They’ve just opened up a new section of the store to carry board games and children’s playclothes as well as costumes.
They consider 1st Editions to be a toy store with books.
Used books of all genres fill one of the store’s three sections while the last area holds a large selection of nerd merchandise in Jazmyn’s favourite part of the store, the Nerd Room.
Admitting she always wanted a comic book store, but knowing they don’t do well on their own in a smaller city, she went the merchandise direction instead.
“We have a lot of science fiction and fantasy items,” she explained as she pointed to some Dr. Who Sonic Screwdrivers on the shelf, “but we also carry and can bring in collections of comics in trade paperbacks.”
Both love to read so it was the books that enticed them immediately to buy the store.
“I love all genres,” Joan said.
Books are brought into the store by a trade system where people receive a trade credit toward newer used books.
Dozens of Jazmyn’s graphic design pieces line the walls of the store along with a few novels she’s penned.
“When we saw her draw a cat with a pencil at the age of two and we knew what it was we told her she had talent and she ran with it,” Joan beamed.
Both agree the store has become a second home and a way to meet people in the community.
“We are having a lot of fun,” they agreed.