From Flagship to Full Lineup: Our Homemade Community Chilliwack Journey
This past August marked a big milestone for Simple Drew's — getting our first bottles on shelf at Homemade Community in Chilliwack's District 1881. It's been a real privilege, and an even bigger education.
Welcome to the Real World of Retail
Up until then, most of our sales came from farmers markets and our online shop — both pretty controlled environments where I get to talk to every customer face-to-face. Putting product on a retailer's shelf is different. You're not there to explain the ingredients, share the story, or hand someone a bottle to smell. The product has to do the work on its own.
Lesson #1: Seasonality Is Real
The first thing I learned? Foot traffic isn't a constant. District 1881 is a beautiful, walkable hub that absolutely thrives in the warmer months — tourists, weekend visitors, patio-goers all out and about. Come fall and winter, things naturally slow down, and that's reflected in the numbers.
Watching sell-through dip in the colder months wasn't discouraging — it was a reality check, and honestly, a useful one. Now I know when to lean in, when to plan promotions, and when to focus on building for the next busy season.
Lesson #2: One Bottle Isn't Enough
When I first launched on shelf, I had exactly one product to offer: the Everywhere Wash in our flagship 473ml bottle. To me, it was the obvious move — it's the hero product, it does everything, and what else does anyone need?
Turns out, plenty of customers needed something else.
It was Hillary, the owner of Homemade Community, who pushed me to think bigger. She'd watched shoppers walk up to my shelf, take interest, and then walk away — not because the product wasn't right for them, but because committing to a 473ml bottle on a first-time purchase is a leap. Some people just want to try something before going all-in.
That conversation stuck with me. And honestly? She was right.
Enter the 237ml Bottle
That's how the Everywhere Wash 237ml was born. Same formula, same hero product — just in a more approachable, lower-commitment size. It's been a game changer on shelf. New shoppers feel comfortable trying it, and many of them come back for the bigger bottle once they're hooked.
It's a small change that reshaped how I think about product strategy: meet customers where they are, not where I assume they should be.
What's Next: The Everywhere Spray
I've also been quietly working on something new — the Everywhere Spray, designed specifically to soothe itches and tackle dandruff with the same clean, natural ingredient philosophy you've come to expect from Simple Drew's.
Trialing new formulas is genuinely one of my favourite parts of this work. Tweaking, testing, getting feedback, refining. Some ideas don't make the cut. But the ones that do earn their place in the lineup.
Who knows — maybe you'll see it on shelf soon too.
Thank You, Hillary
Huge thanks to Hillary and the whole team at Homemade Community for taking a chance on a small Langley-based brand, for the honest feedback, and for creating a space where local makers can actually grow. If you haven't visited the shop in District 1881 yet, do yourself a favour and stop in — it's full of incredible BC-made goods.
And if you're new to Simple Drew's: come say hi at the markets, or grab a 237ml to start. Your future self will thank you.
🌿 Simple Drew's Health & Wellness Corp. | Proudly made in Langley, BC