Impact of pandemic and their pivot
The global pandemic started with the virus known as COVID-19, which has harshly impacted many small businesses, resulting in firing employees, reducing hours, and in the worst scenario, shutting down completely.
Kula Trading is a small family-owned business that has sister stores called Masala and Jade, located in the Byward Market area of Ottawa. These unique crystal stores offer jewelry, stones, and home decor specially handcrafted for each customer.
Kula trading was established in 1988, when the owner, Cynthia Ryan and Tim Noyes-Brown started to create the jewelry pieces and traveled to Southeast Asia, to personally select and directly import. These unique pieces are handcrafted in Bali and Indonesia, while the gemstones are sourced from all over the world.
There is a range of gemstone products that have evolved over many years. Noyes-Brown and Cynthia Ryan, design their collections of sterling silver and gemstone jewelry, which have new themes and new families of stones every year.
Employees and owner’s experience
Ryan also owns of the store Masala, a small boutique located at 17-B York St. She started opened the store in 1997, and her love for the shop has grown over the last 23 years.
“It means a lot to me. It is my baby, before I had kids,” says Ryan.
When the store was just starting she says she enjoyed being in the service industry while importing all items from Asia.
Noyes-Brown has been an entrepreneur and a traveler for many years, starting his travels when he was just 19. He has always been into traditional ethnic arts, which then interested him in buying and selling small quality of crystals, and wanted a reason to return to Asia every year.
Masala started off selling at festivals and concerts, which then evolved into opening the first store, then the opening of their two other stores.
It’s a change that hasn’t necessarily been good for us because we have reduced our hours, we reduced our capacity, so our potential revenue is dramatically reduced as well.
cynthia ryan, owner
When the global pandemic hit, the traveling had shifted, and the two to three overseas trips every year had been paused. Cynthia says, “We had a trip planned to leave in March of 2020, and shortly we did cancel that trip because of COVID-19.”
In regards to traveling and collecting, this business stands apart from some other small boutiques. In this aspect of being in the service industry, it has been hard for this small business to navigate its way. The business designs a year in advance, so collections that they were able to look at before COVID-19, has helped them in the long run.
“It’s a change that hasn’t necessarily been good for us because we have reduced our hours, we reduced our capacity, so our potential revenue is dramatically reduced as well,” says Ryan.
They have now transitioned to online sales, but are having a hard time selling due to the lack of duplicates for crystals, and the fact that having many of the same items goes against what they believe in.
COVID-19 has impacted them in such a way, that there will be a very high chance of closing one of their sister stores.
Nevertheless, Ryan says they are grateful for the support they have received.
“I think the biggest thing is the shift in consumers’ thinking, I believe there is a lot more drive to support local businesses, and that has helped us.”
One of the sister stores is Jade, located on 531-A Sussex Drive. Kira Kinderman a 26-year-old who is a student at the University of Ottawa, works part-time at that crystal store. She has been working since 2015 on and off and enjoys the environment of being at the shop.
I think it’s so interesting that people are much more interested in the spiritual half, rather than someone coming into the store and saying that they like this rock.
kira kinderman, employee
Kinderman is adapting to the new COVID-19 restrictions, involving less capacity and more sanitation. Although it is stressful when doing work tasks in such a short time, it has been less worrisome about customers’ shoplifting. When asked what is different with the market because of COVID-19, she says “all of the stones that have to do with banishing negativity or attracting optimism, are really selling right now, I think it’s so interesting that people are much more interested in the spiritual half, rather than someone coming into the store and saying that they like this rock.”
Customers are frequently waiting around to get into the store. Jake Turner, a 21-year-old, staying in Ottawa with a friend for the first time, makes his way to the Masala crystal store. Although he does not know a lot about crystals, he has an interest in small stores offering handcrafted goods. He explains that with the small capacity, the cleanliness of the store makes him feel safe browsing around.
“I was surprised that the workers tell you right away, that whatever customers touch and don’t want, they have a corner and a basket of items to be disinfected right away,” says Turner. Many businesses do not do that right away.”
When asked about his opinion on businesses pivoting he explains, “COVID-19 has affected businesses all over the world but has impacted small family-owned businesses the most, which has taken such a toll that they have had to close down stores.”