Finding the good in the bad

Trish Law hated being the gangly one. Six feet tall, she was the teenager who towered over everyone else. Always hanging out of each end of her clothes… legs too long, arms too long, neck too long, torso too long. It’s hard being tall, especially being a tall girl.

Funny how 13 years after high school trauma caused by tall-ness, Trish is now revelling in her height. But the memories last and her ambitions that were born in high school are now reality for people in the Barrie area.

Trish is out to provide great clothes for tall people.

She’s opened Tall ‘n Terrific, a retail clothing store for tall folks, and she’s gearing her clothes to the younger set, mostly because she knows how devastating it is to buy a 33 inch leg when you need one that’s 38 inches.

Trish has taken not only her courage to do this; she’s counted on the support of her husband, Ian, and their young daughter, Meghan, as she financed the opening of the store, making leasehold improvements to her store, signage for its top, racks, rugs, change booths, mirrors, etc, etc. The federal government’s Self Employment Assistance Program is helping Trish with business training and preliminary income support as she gets her business up to speed.

The special thing about Trish and Tall ‘n Terrific is that she’s not ordering clothes that are produced by everybody for everyone. She has designed each piece of clothing and has hired sewers to produce her product. She’s currently bringing in a line of Silver jeans which she says her younger clients are eager to have. Trish is dedicated to her store, and to serving tall girls, boys, and business people with clothes that are functional, attractive, comfortable to wear and affordable to buy. It must be wonderful for other clothing retailers in the area to finally have somewhere to refer their tall would-be customers.

With a merchandising background from a major department store, Trish has cut her merchandising teeth well enough to be able to move forward with her own operation. With no tall person’s clothing store north of Toronto, she feels she’s got a market niche that’s long overdue.

Certainly when you walk in the doors at Tall ‘n Terrific you know that a young person with flair and commitment is behind the counter.

Where is it? At Dunlop St and Highway 400, 304 Dunlop West in the series of plaza buildings that beings with Coffee Time and swings north along Highway 400. It’s a good location for Trish and easy for her customers to reach.

I personally think it’s wonderful that Trish is able to look at what was a negative thing in her youth, and move it into a positive experience for others. A real opportunity out of crisis.

Certainly those who tower over others are delighted that someone else cares.

Thanks, Trish.