Leanne Ryan created Must Have Pockets, a boutique clothing store in St. Vital, as an antithesis to the mall.
“The joke I always say is: if you go to the mall, your choice is Dynamite or Northern Reflections,” Leanne said. “It’s really one extreme to the other, so, I wanted something for the more mature woman that didn’t have to be bedazzled or extraordinarily colourful—or a mixture of both!”
Tailored mainly for women over 40, Must Have Pockets offers a welcoming shopping experience where Leanne makes sure her customers feel comfortable, secure, and enthusiastic about buying new clothes. Her meticulously curated selection of quality pieces reflects her extensive background as a retail buyer.
“I have a lot of older women who come in who say they literally feel invisible when they go into other stores,” Leanne said.
Leanne's entrepreneurial journey began years ago when she first developed a business plan for a yet-to-be-named retail store with WeMB’s Business Plan Development Workshop.
“I was working somewhere that I just wasn't loving, and I didn't feel like it was really maximizing my experience,” she said. “It was always in the back of my mind to open a store, and then I lost my nerve.”
The idea continued to simmer in her mind for several years before she finally decided to hit the gas pedal and push past her hesitations.
In early 2023, Leanne started doing some market research and competitor shopping, and by the end of April, she’d left her full-time job. By July 10, she’d already viewed the location that would become her storefront, and with help from a WeMB loan, she quickly secured the space.
“I signed the lease here on August 29, got the key September 1, and opened September 27,” Leanne said. “I was really pushing for the September opening because of back-to-school and it’s that time of year where women are investing more in themselves.”
Leanne acknowledged that her road to opening was much shorter than most.
“I don’t think if I had opened the following spring—which of course would have been a possibility—I don’t think I’d have been as successful,” she said. “I just really felt like the fall had to happen, and it did.”
Before Must Have Pockets, Leanne worked in buying for retailers like Gord’s Ski and Bike, a specialty sporting goods store that operated in Winnipeg for 52 years. There, she worked closely with Ruth Lowen, Gord’s daughter, as her assistant buyer.
“I learned from the best! And I remember going to trade shows with her and really not having a hot clue,” Leanne said, laughing. “And you know, how often do you really think ‘where do our clothes come from?’ That was something I was learning from her, which was truly amazing.”
Following seven years at Gord’s, Leanne moved to Cabela’s Canada, where she started as an Assistant Buyer, then moved to Buyer as they grew from one store to 14. There, her love of retail—and clothing in particular—evolved along with her expertise. Meanwhile, she just couldn’t shake the idea of opening her own store.
“It was always going to be clothes, it was just a matter of what kind,” Leanne said. “And I feel like I really bridge a gap with my store where the clothes are meant to be based off a capsule wardrobe. The idea is that I want you to take these items and put them in your wardrobe so you also get more out of what you currently have.”
Overcoming the hurdle between the concept in her head and turning it into reality wasn’t easy, but Leanne learned along the way that all you can do is take it one step at a time.
“My philosophy was that I’ll continue until they say no… and no one ever said no,” she said. “So, I wish I could go back to the person I was years ago when I did the Business Plan Development Workshop, and just give myself the information and tell myself all I had to do was take two more steps, and I could have done this 10 years ago.”
One of Leanne’s favourite parts of running her store is helping customers find clothes that they’re excited about and feel good in, and she’s diligent about creating a safe space for them.
“I have a philosophy here at the store: ‘If it’s not a hell yeah, then it’s a hell no,’” Leanne said. “If you’re not going to wear it, don’t buy it. There’s someone else who will love it, and that means I want you to go into the changeroom and I want you to feel great.”
Despite her successes in her first year of business, Leanne says the state of the economy, among other things, has been a struggle. General traffic to the store has been lower than she’d expected, due in part to the fact that her primary customer is both busy and tends to prioritize others’ needs over her own.
“If you were to read my business plan, it didn’t say getting her in here would be this hard,” Leanne said. “And I know I’m not the only one, but the most difficult part is just begging my customers to make time for themselves.”
To address slower traffic, Leanne has introduced some creative marketing initiatives, including successful “Sip & Shop” events, where she invites guests for an evening of shopping, drinks, snacks, and fun with friends.
It's evident that Leanne puts her customers first, and she recognizes their support in return.
“My customers thrill me,” she said. “They’re so endearing and welcoming and want to see me succeed. I have an amazing customer foundation, people who come back over and over—they’re really amazing!”
While some details of Must Have Pockets are not exactly how she predicted, Leanne believes her careful planning was crucial to her current success.
“Do your research! The research part is important, and it really is important to do a proper market analysis of what is happening out there,” she said. “Stay true to what you intended your business to be. I listen to my customers and what they’re asking for, but I always have to put it through the filter[GU4] of ‘what was my original business plan?’”
As Must Have Pockets approaches one year in business, Leanne has reflected on her journey thus far. She’s built an incredible community, has gotten more comfortable with making big decisions, and has learned some hard lessons about entrepreneurship.
“At a certain point you have to say to yourself, ‘are you gonna say it, or are you gonna do it?” she said. “Just make the decision. If it’s the wrong one, you can change it after. You’re the CEO now—just pull the trigger and get it done.”
Leanne has also quickly learned that being an entrepreneur can be lonely, and that’s especially true for solopreneurs like herself.
“No one talks about the isolation that comes with being an entrepreneur,” Leanne said. “When you don’t have a partner, you’re making all those decisions alone and it becomes very insular. So, community is important, whatever that means for you, whether it’s business breakfasts, other entrepreneurs, or your friends—it’s really important.”
Visit Must Have Pockets, located at 1510 St. Mary’s Rd in Winnipeg or shop online at musthavepockets.ca!