Saint John’s ‘Strong And Free’ Brand Perfect Fit For Canadian Armed Forces Stores
SAINT JOHN – Denise Dow and Patricia Gallagher cannot think of more appropriate markets for their “Strong & Free” brand than national institutions commonly associated with the patriotic spirit.
Strong & Free Emblem, a store in uptown Saint John that sells clothing and other products with the Strong & Free logo, now has its products sold at approximately 30 CANEX stores run by the Canadian Armed Forces. The products are now also sold at 14 Duty-Free locations around the country, including the Toronto airport and the Peace Bridge near Niagara Falls.
Strong & Free had previously had their products sold through Sears and Canadian Tire, among others. But the latest deals mean a lot to Dow and her partner Patricia Gallagher.
“These two are particularly very important for us, number one because they’re national and they’re all across the country. Number two, they’re such a perfect fit for our brand,” she said.
“CANEX being the military connection – the real push behind my initial creation was in my pride in my country and my dad as a Coast Guard [employee] and the big Coast Guard ship…The other match that’s so perfect for us is the souvenir market. What could be a better fit than Duty-Free for high-quality souvenirs and a message from Canada?”
The couple had wanted to have their products at CANEX stores for a long time. Dow had started making the designs to reflect her pride in her country, inspired by her father’s service in the Coast Guard. On the other hand, customers who are serving in the Canadian armed forces have told the couple that the slogan “strong and free” resonates with them.
“Having a dad that was a Coast Guard, I was very proud of my country…I just felt like, why doesn’t Canada have something like the American eagle?” Dow said.
The deal with CANEX happened through Stanfield’s, a clothing manufacturer in Truro, N.S., which is licensed to use Strong & Free Emblem’s designs. Stanfield’s has had a long relationship with CANEX and pitched them the Strong & Free collection. Strong & Free will get royalties from the sales of the products.
Since early this year, CANEX has been carrying t-shirts, hoodies, hockey jerseys, and long sleeve shirts for men and women with Strong & Free’s designs, among other things. The chain store has committed to ordering thrice this year and has ordered additional designs in French, Gallagher said.
Carrying on the military connection, Dow and Gallagher are also working on a co-branded line with VETS Canada, a non-profit that helps veterans, to raise funds for those in need of shelter, food and other necessities.
In the meantime, Strong & Free Emblem is also building its business in the tourism sector. Having a store near Port Saint John, Dow and Gallagher have been able to test products and get feedback from the tourists that have come through their doors. Ultimately, they can bring that experience when pitching to the tourism industry.
But Gallagher’s relationship with the local Duty-Free shop owners at the Saint John airport, who are based in Ontario, became a key link that connected them to the Frontier Duty-Free Association (FDFA). Two years ago, they introduced the Strong & Free collection to the FDFA, including products that aren’t clothing.
“They were really looking for a ‘made-in-Canada’ collection and they really aligned with the brand and they really aligned with the message. And then they love the fact that it was all made in Canada,” Gallagher said.
With each Duty-Free store being operated independently, Gallagher has to build relationships with each of their owners. The products have been popular with them and with customers so far because the slogan “strong and free,” which can also be found in the Canadian anthem, resonates with people of all backgrounds, even those from abroad, she said.
Dow says it reflects the idea that the rights and freedoms of all is something “fundamental to the Canadian spirit.” While for some, “it’s a personal message and a personal affirmation,” Gallagher said.
Athletes connect with it, too. This month, their products were featured by the National Hockey League as part of a gift package for players.
Dow and Gallagher started the business as a family in 2006. As online sales and wholesales grow, the couple is looking more towards developing new designs, attending buyers’ markets, working on its website and other online presence, and visiting stores that carry their products.
“We want to be able to do things more remotely. We won’t do a store forever, but that’s been a great way to test our products, to get the feedback,” Dow said. “Ultimately, we want to be in a place where we’re maintaining relationships, doing online ordering, but not so much doing physical store.”