- Story by Lauren Edwards Photography by Don Denton
Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
Like Boulevard Magazine on and follow them on
As Chris Manley whistles a jazzy tune through his teeth, I realize he香蕉视频直播檚 a man of many talents. And indeed, in addition to his impressive whistling abilities, he sings and excels in business as co-owner of Resthouse Sleep Solutions 香蕉视频直播� an organic mattress and bedding store in Duncan.
Vancouver-born Chris has been whistling since he was five years old, taught by his father while living in Richmond. He tricked his teachers by disguising his whistling abilities through his teeth, and 香蕉视频直播渕astered the art of the different sounds and the noodling to it.香蕉视频直播�
After graduating high school, he worked for a corporate mattress company in Vancouver for 15 years. As a top salesperson and sales trainer, his career in the sleep industry was set, but the one-size-fits-all method of sales didn香蕉视频直播檛 feel right.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 an old way [of looking at it],香蕉视频直播� Chris explains. 香蕉视频直播淲hich is just alarming because [noramlly] two people sleep in a bed, and each person has different needs.香蕉视频直播�
When he left the corporate world and moved on to Duncan, Chris decided to change his lifestyle, starting with improving his health through eating organically. With the introduction to organic foods, he 香蕉视频直播渟tarted to clue in that conventional mattresses are not as healthy as we香蕉视频直播檝e been told they are.香蕉视频直播� And, he adds, this is not evening considering their environmental impact 香蕉视频直播� with around 香蕉视频直播�30 million mattresses a year going to landfills in North America.香蕉视频直播� With the world focussing on product sustainability, down to its roots, he thought, it makes sense that a community with a high-level interest in organics would want to embrace holistic sleeping habits too.
香蕉视频直播淎s a kid, I remember complaining about taking naps, which seemed like a requirement. As an adult, having a good night香蕉视频直播檚 sleep is vital.
香蕉视频直播淥nce I don香蕉视频直播檛 get enough sleep, my sugar addiction kicks in because I香蕉视频直播檓 trying to get that jolt, and that actually hurts my brain. Then I start to get anxiety, then I get mild depression, and it香蕉视频直播檚 just this cycle.香蕉视频直播�
He adds: 香蕉视频直播淏ecause when you are laying there, if you香蕉视频直播檙e getting hot, you香蕉视频直播檙e tossing and turning, and you香蕉视频直播檙e hurting, well that kicks in the brain香蕉视频直播t香蕉视频直播檚 ultimately what discomforts people. When you get into your 50s, 60s and 70s, if you香蕉视频直播檙e not sleeping well, you can get sick.香蕉视频直播�
Chris and his business and life partner, Dawn Howlett, first launched a mattress business from their garage. Next, they opened an organic mattress gallery, complete with spotlights and showrooms. From there they set up shop at the Community Farm Store, and then, when space for a store opened up with a music studio above, Chris was able to combine his two passions 香蕉视频直播� music and the mattress business香蕉视频直播� under one roof.
Chis says the idea for the business had always been in concept form, but when 香蕉视频直播渙ut popped of Dawn香蕉视频直播檚 mouth 香蕉视频直播楻esthouse,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈 the name helped solidify their idea.
Towels, linens, pillows and comforters at Resthouse are all made from organic cotton. The store also features handmade wooden furniture by David Martinello, as well as wool blankets made from angora goats and sheep on Ann Lindwall香蕉视频直播檚 farm in Glenora, just outside of Duncan.
香蕉视频直播淲e try to do as much locally as we can,香蕉视频直播� says Chris, adding that the business recently expanded its ownership team by adding Olga Roberts.
Resthouse gets involved in different community events, working with schools and donating products to different foundations, and making sure mattresses are properly disposed of. Each time they deliver a new mattress, the old one (if it香蕉视频直播檚 still in good shape) is donated to charity.
Dawn香蕉视频直播檚 decoration of the store was influenced by hygge (pronounced 香蕉视频直播渉oog-ga香蕉视频直播�) 香蕉视频直播� a Danish word meaning 香蕉视频直播渁 mood of cosiness and comfortable conviviality with feelings of wellness and contentment.香蕉视频直播�
The duo originally met at The Haven, which offered an improvisational a cappella singing course called 香蕉视频直播淭he Singing Soul.香蕉视频直播� Chris, who had always enjoyed music, says the course was 香蕉视频直播渟erendipitous because that香蕉视频直播檚 where I met Dawn, where I really got into music, and where I learned that the universe will actually give you what you want if you ask for it.香蕉视频直播�
During the course, he was urged by instructor David Hatfield to 香蕉视频直播渘o matter what, just keep singing.香蕉视频直播�
So Chris continued his musical training on his own, playing a game of 香蕉视频直播渨histle it or sing it.香蕉视频直播� He put his entire music library on shuffle 香蕉视频直播� deciding to either whistle or sing each tune as it played.
Eventually he met The Paradigm Shifters, an improvisation band, which was looking for a singer. Improvising, band members begin playing their instruments and 香蕉视频直播渇ind ways through intuition in the moment to create songs,香蕉视频直播� says Chris.
Years later, he香蕉视频直播檚 now part of Dream Catcher, another improvisational band. Chris continues to pursue his passion for music, almost pushing himself, he says, to show his daughter, 14 and son, 12 香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播渨ho are both amazing singers香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� what it means to not give up on dreams.
In addition to singing, whistling and selling sleep solutions, Chris likes 香蕉视频直播渉anging out with the kids,香蕉视频直播� swimming in various lakes on the island and spending time at his parents香蕉视频直播� home that has a 香蕉视频直播渃abin-like香蕉视频直播� feel to it.
Other favourite pastimes include tennis and bowling (he was a competitive bowler in his youth), and practising music with Dawn through looping 香蕉视频直播� a device that records and plays back music. Dawn is a huge positive influence in his life, he says, as well as his parents, who taught him to treat others with 香蕉视频直播渒indness and heart.香蕉视频直播� He still carries this important lesson to 香蕉视频直播渦nderstand that we all struggle, and if you just default to kindness, the universe takes care of you.香蕉视频直播�
Now that香蕉视频直播檚 something to whistle about.
Check out Chris香蕉视频直播� company .
