People of the OCQ: Steven
When you walk into Red Shelf Décor, you’ll discover the most one-of-a-kind, nostalgic and unusual décor and furniture. But it’s not the unique treasures that keep customers coming back, it’s the thoughtful conversations with business owner Steven.
Spend five minutes with Steven and you’ll quickly realize the conversation rarely stays on his own business for long.
He’ll point you toward the bookstore around the corner, recommend the cheese shop across the street or tell you about the cupcake that magically appears on his counter, courtesy of his neighbour.
“That’s what this area is about,” he says. “This place is a true community. We all look out for each other.”
The belief, that businesses are stronger together than they are apart, has become the foundation of Red Shelf Décor and the reason Steven feels so connected to the Old City Quarter, Nanaimo’s vibrant heritage shopping district.
“I’m all about collaboration, collaboration over competition,” he explains.
It’s a philosophy that has been shaped by a lifetime in retail.
Steven was born into antiques. His father was an antique dealer, and by the time he was eight years old, Steven was already buying collectibles at auctions to resell at local antique stores. Later, he owned an antique store in Victoria and eventually expanded into four shoe stores across British Columbia.
“I got too big too fast,” he says. When the recession hit, his business collapsed and he was forced to start over.
After several years working as an investment advisor, an opportunity came along to lease a small storefront in downtown Nanaimo. Less than a year later, the pandemic arrived. While many businesses struggled, people stuck at home began decorating, and Red Shelf Décor found its footing.
Seven years later, another opportunity appeared, this time in the Old City Quarter. For Steven, it isn’t the character buildings or the history that make the neighbourhood special, it’s the people.
When Steven’s mother was in the hospital, he went to Damsel’s to get her some pajama’s. The next day, Dee, the founder of the 52-year-old clothing store, stopped into his shop to ask how his mother was doing.
“That to me is community, and I see moments like this every day in the Old City Quarter,” he explains.
That same desire to build community is what also inspired Steven to run for Nanaimo City Council.
“My official reason is we need a business person on council. We need somebody who’s been in the trenches.” But there’s another reason too.
After years of volunteering his time, advocating for businesses and working alongside the City on issues affecting downtown, Steven realized he was already doing the work. “One day I woke up and realized I was putting in thirty hours a week just volunteering, I might as well have a seat at the table,” he explains.
Whether he’s sourcing one-of-a-kind antiques, chatting to the community, or asking questions about the city, Steven keeps coming back to the same idea – that it’s all about collaboration.
Walk through the doors of Red Shelf Décor and you’ll certainly find something unexpected on the shelves, but the thing Steven is most proud of isn’t for sale: it’s the community that’s grown around him.