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Retailer Profile

On the waterfrontAward-winning Muskoka builder Greg Mannion caters to a very exclusive cottage clientele with his one-of-a-kind home decor store

By Laurie O’Halloran

Muskoka Classics Cottage Emporium is not your ordi-nary gift and home decor store, but then again, ownerGreg Mannion is not your typical retailer. Located in

posh Port Carling, the store sits right on the shore of LakeJoseph which, together with Lakes Rosseau and Muskoka, en-compasses Ontario’s premiere, upscale vacation spot.

Located two hours north of Toronto, the Muskoka region isrenowned as a summer haven for the rich and famous with theaverage ‘cottage’ selling for $1.2 million. Most sell for muchmore, and Greg Mannion should know. He’s been buildingbeautiful cottages in Port Carling for over 15 years and his wifeMarilyn is one of the top real estate agents in the area.

The couple left Toronto for good 17 years ago, where Gregran a successful commercial and residential real estate broker-age business. He had built many multi-million dollar summerhomes in Muskoka and has owned a beautiful cottage on LakeJoseph for many years himself. After negotiating a deal to de-velop the Lake Joseph Club, he and Marilyn decided to taketheir two sons, Trevor and Matthew, and move to Port Carlingpermanently. They kept their cottage, but also built a new homeas part of the club development.

The family quickly became entrenched in the Port Carlingcommunity. Matthew was a ski racer before moving to HiltonHead, South Carolina, where he attends the golf academy andHilton Head Preparatory School. A chip off the old block, olderson Trevor is the proprietor of Mooskoka’s, an ice cream shopthat he has owned and run since high school (yes, high school)after putting together a business plan as a class project. His dadwas so impressed with his vision that he helped make the plana reality. Mooskoka’s (which is located directly across the streetfrom the Emporium) helped put Trevor through Quest Univer-sity in B.C. but it’s now for sale as he’s about to graduate.

Greg himself serves as board chair for Rosseau Lake College,a renowned private school. Ten years ago, he was part of agroup that helped produce a historical mural mosaic on the sideof the huge brick wall that greets boaters as they arrive to dockin Port Carling (see sidebar). It helped that he owned the build-ing (which at the time was rented out to another tenant).

By the time he moved to Port Carling permanently, Greg waswell-known in Muskoka as a talented builder who had created

Emporium owner Greg Mannion, shown with the 7-foot stuffed moosethat has been a constant draw for his store, is a well-respected builderin Muskoka who has lived in Port Carling for 17 years.

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Retailer Profile

and built some incredible retreats forcustomers who demand the very bestand are willing to pay for it. He hadbought up a few buildings himself intown over the years and most local resi-dents knew him by name. But it wasn’tuntil 2009 that Greg finally decided thatPort Carling needed a unique retail storethat would appeal to the discerningtastes of his customers. He didn’t want agift store or a decorating store – therewere plenty of those. He wanted a placethat offered interesting and unusualproducts for the home or cottage. Thefact that he knew absolutely nothingabout retail didn’t deter him one bit. Heactually admits it may have been a ben-efit!

“I always felt Muskoka needed aplace where you could come andbrowse at your leisure,” he says. “Aplace where you could buy a nice $10candle, or a $500 wool blanket. Theproducts needed to be interesting, andthey also had to be well-priced.”

The joke around the store is that,when it comes to product selection, thecriteria is simple. If Greg doesn’t like itand wouldn’t put it in his own home,it’s not in the store. That’s probably onereason why the Emporium’s male cus-tomer base is larger than most, and re-tention is high. Men know that, whenyou’re in Port Carling, you have to stopin to see what’s new at the MuskokaClassic Cottage Emporium.

The store has evolved through a lot ofcategories through the years, but Greghas always maintained that every prod-uct must be priced “for what it shouldsell for”, not what he thinks he can get.“Just because we’re in Port Carling itdoesn’t mean I should overcharge,” hesays. “Yes, there are a lot of very expen-sive items in the store, but that doesn’tmean they’re overpriced.”

He adds that “many of my customersare multi-millionaires but they are alsointelligent shoppers who appreciatevalue. I price things properly, and that’show you bring people back. These peo-ple got where they are by being price-sensitive. They know what things costand what they are worth.”

The ‘Wall’ on the outside of the store has provideda breathtaking welcome to Port Carling since2005. The 111-by-45-foot mosaic mural is com-prised of 9,028 photographs that were put togeth-er to create an image of the RMS Sagamo passingthrough the Port Carling locks, circa 1922. Each in-dividual photo captures the history of the town dur-ing its first century. Greg Mannion was part of theteam that spearheaded the project, which was cre-ated by Forrec of Bracebridge along with TorontoDigital Imaging and Magic Mosaics. Greg is proudof the fact that the $150,000 mural was fundedthrough private donations without any governmentinput. Sadly, most of the photos are now peeling(left) so the group is raising funds for a restoration.

The view from the rear of the store, including the LCBO dock, which is always busy on a summerweekend. Below, the front entrance of the store welcomes both Canadian and American visitors.

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Retailer Profile

The store is situated in a historicalstone building that was built in 1932and is perfectly located at the end ofPort Carling’s main street. The interioris 16,000 square feet in total, of which8,000 is devoted to retail space. It wascompletely gutted when Greg moved inand carefully renovated to its originalcharacter, with gleaming wood floors.

Greg has a large office on the main

floor, which is divided into several dis-tinct groupings and features an actuallog cabin in the centre. The basement isdevoted to large furniture pieces andantiques – many are used to beautifullydisplay products around the store.

As you walk into the store, you’re im-mediately greeted by a towering 7-footstuffed moose. Created by a Vancouverartist, it “cost a fortune” to have itshipped to Port Carling but has been abig hit with kids and tourists who loveto have their photo taken beside it. Themoose was even featured in a TourismOntario ad. In response, Greg startedcarrying miniature plush moose ani-mals and he donates half of the profitsto the local hospital.

One corner of the store is dedicated tohousewares, cookware and small appli-ances, while textiles and glassware arestrategically placed throughout the

store. Entire rooms are recreated com-plete with fireplaces and woodsy, out-door lamps and artwork. A long, carvedharvest table features country place set-tings while a corner room shows off awide range of wooden bowls. Scatteredthroughout are colourful beach towelsand lush terry robes, each with a‘Muskoka’ monogram.

Candles are a huge part of the store’sbusiness. An entire back corner featuresa wall-to-wall assortment that Gregsources from 29 different vendors. Butit’s the unique pieces that capture yourattention. Everywhere you look, you seesomething that makes you go “wow”,I’ve never seen that before.

Not only does Greg do all the buying,he also oversees all the displays. With nomerchandising experience, he admits heprobably broke all the rules, but it hasn’thurt him. For five years, Muskoka Clas-sics has met sales targets and become adestination shop for visitors from acrossCanada while still allowing Greg plentyof time to pursue his primary job build-ing multi-million dollar cottages.

“I had a retail expert come in a couple

A full-size log cabin takes centre stage at thestore, right, and is outfitted with rustic furnishingand accessories. Above, coffee and tea com-prise one wall while candles – sourced from 29suppliers – take up an entire room at the back.

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Retailer Profile

years ago,” he recalls. “He told me thatif I had created this store ‘by the book’,it wouldn’t look anything like it does.But it works. People always tell me theylove the store because it’s like no other.If I brought in the same vendor rackingand displays as every other retailer, Iwould look like every other store. I vi-sualized something different.”

It’s that ability to visualize that hasmade Greg an award-winning builderand a successful retailer. As he says,“I’ve had a lot of experience buildingspectacular cottages on vacant, rockylots. To create the perfect building forthat environment, I’ve had to be able tolook past what most people see andimagine what could be. That’s what Idid with this store.”

The most valuable lesson he’s learnedas a retailer is that you have to keepchanging to keep people coming back.You can’t get stale. Greg prevents this bytruly listening to his customers, and hissuppliers. He depends on their advice,and follows it. He’s also a bit of a risktaker, as most successful entrepreneursare. That’s why he can sell $600 fur hatsin the middle of summer. It’s also thereason people will drive from GeorgianBay each summer to see what’s new –then they tell their friends.

Because construction still comprises80% of his enterprise, Greg is able to dosomething most retailers can onlydream of – close down for four monthsright after Christmas. With such a sea-sonal clientele, it just didn’t make senseto open year round, which they did forthe first couple of years. Now, his sixstaff members are happy to take time offfrom January 1st to April 30th. Greguses the time to revamp the store, fresh-en up the inventory, and visit tradeshows in Atlanta, New York and Chica-go as well as the January CGTA show.

Customers know that the productmix is always changing at MuskokaClassics. Greg never aims to simply “re-stock shelves” when he goes on buying

With fireplaces, full living rooms, harvest tablesetting and fish-shaped benches, the store en-courages customers to browse for hours. Manyof the products are sourced from local artisans.

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Retailer Profile

trips. He’s always on the lookout forsomething better, and he’s willing to puthis money where his mouth is.

“If I like something, I’ll buy 400pieces. When it runs out, I’ll buy some-thing else,” he explains. “I don’t buyone or two and then reorder. A store hasto be full to engage customers. You haveto look like you’re in the business.”

His staff find the constantly changinginventory helps keep their jobs interest-ing, and they can’t wait to see what hebrings back from the shows.

“Greg has really good taste and we allget excited when he finds a new productline,” says Brenda Stockie. “We are all soproud to work here. He encourages usto be creative with displays and he’s sogood with the customers. Everybodyknows him – he’s built so many cottagesin the area – and nobody knows Musko-ka better than he does.”

During July and August, the storewelcomes a steady stream of browsersand buyers, along with a sprinkling ofcelebrities who cottage in the area, suchas Martin Short, Goldie Hawn, severalprofessional athletes and quite a fewleaders of industry. It doesn’t hurt thatthe store backs onto a series of docksowned by other Port Carling retailers,including the liquor store. Locals pullup to the docks daily in their $100,000Donzi cruisers to buy designer vodka,and perhaps pick up a Bodum cof-feemaker at Cottage Classics.

Even though the store has blossomedinto what he calls a “big small busi-ness”, Greg still takes the time to appre-ciate what he has, and where he lives. Atthe end of each day, he walks out to thedock, gets in his boat and cruises acrossLake Joe back to his island retreat. Hiswife and two sons do the same, each ar-riving at the cottage just as the settingsun casts a sparkling reflection on thewraparound deck off their beautifulgreen and white boathouse. It’s alifestyle that’s beyond idyllic and Gregknows just how lucky he is – but he’searned every bit of it. n

Muskoka Classics Cottage Emporium99 Maple Street, Port Carling, ONwww.muskokaclassics.com

Floor manager Brenda Stockie finds Greg isgreat to work for because of his willingness toempower employees and his experience. “He al-ways knows what customers want,” she says.Below, antiques are used to display table linensand cottage-themed tableware and bowls.

A GREEN GUIDE to eco-friendly housewares and

sports/hydration bottles

• • •

Clean Up Crew(Vacuums, irons,

dusters and scrubbers)

• • •

The Coffee AftermarketCoffee accessories,pod holders and more

• • •

Home Storage andWaste Containers

• • •

Highlights from theHECNA Conference

Editorial Submission Deadline: October 11, 2013

(laurie@homestylemag.ca)

Advertising Material Due:October 23, 2013

(michael@homestylemag.ca)

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