Wren’s Story
Hi, I’m Leslie—and Yes, I Opened a Store During an Economic Dumpster Fire
So here we are.
You, a curious browser of beautiful things.
Me, a middle-aged, perimenopausal mother of many (six kids—yes, you read that right), with a dream... and also four dogs, two cats, a schedule held together by dry shampoo and Google Calendar, and a bank account that cried when I said, “Hey, what if I open a store?”
But let’s rewind.
Where It All Started: My Bathtub (No, Really)
Wren began, quite literally, in my bathtub. Every night, like clockwork, I soak the day away and debrief my life with my two ride-or-dies, Marney and Nicole, in the world’s most chaotic, beautiful, and borderline unhinged group chat.
You know the kind:
56 conversations at once, no clear beginning or end, bouncing between memes, menopause, manifesting our futures, and "Did you try that new body scrub??" energy.
One night, we spiraled into a dream we’ve all shared for years:
A store.
A cozy, gorgeous little space filled with all the things we adore in our own homes.
Candles. Bath soaks. Throw cushions. Geometry tea towels.
Natural skincare, good-smelling everything, and decor that whispers, "you are safe here."
And not just pretty things—intentional things. Woman-owned brands, clean ingredients, cozy textures, meaningful details. Basically, a home and wellness wonderland. But… in Saskatoon? Crickets.
Cue the conversation we’ve all had:
“WHY doesn’t anyone have it all?”
And me? I decided to do something reckless and beautiful:
I opened Wren.
The Dream. The Chaos. The Loan.
Let me be real: I didn’t do this because my life was calm.
In fact, if you were writing a list of “Times NOT to start a retail business,” my life would have ticked all the boxes.
But when I met Alauna at WESK (now lovingly referred to in my circle as Wren Jesus—no offense, it’s said with the highest form of reverence), everything shifted.
She saw the spark, the vision, and calmly walked me through the wild ride of writing a business plan, applying for a loan, staring at spreadsheets, and resisting the urge to cry-scream into my tea.
And when I hit a wall and whispered, “But what if I fail?”
She didn’t blink. She said, “What if you succeed?”
Cue tears. The real kind.
Spoiler: I Signed the Papers
Every cent mattered. Every form took forever. Every moment felt too big and too small all at once.
And then—the loan was approved.
I stood there, blinking at the email like I had imagined it. Terrified. Electrified.
Because suddenly, this wasn’t just a Pinterest board or a group chat fantasy.
It was real.
Welcome to Wren
Wren is more than a store. It’s a love letter. To beautiful living. To slowing down. To community. To every woman who’s ever dreamed of more while wrangling chaos and eating dinner standing up.
It’s a space where you’ll find clean, Canadian, women-made brands that make your home smell better, your skin feel softer, and your nervous system say thank you.
It’s where joy and intention meet. Where small-batch means big heart.
And where you’re always, always welcome.
So come visit. Smell the candles. Touch the blankets. Ask me about my sixth dog.
This dream was built for you, too.
With love (and probably dry shampoo),
Leslie
Founder, Chaos Coordinator, Cushion Enthusiast
Wren