It’s been a busy month for Corner Brook sisters Katie and Rebecca Barrett as they’ve ventured into the business world.
Katie, 26, has degrees in music and education and Rebecca, 23, has a degree in psychology.
With that combination of backgrounds it may seem a little odd that their business venture has them selling bras and underwear.
“I know it’s so random,” said Katie, with a laugh, while talking about their new boutique What’s Underneath, located at 51 West St. in Corner Brook.
But the venture is not so much of a stretch as Katie worked in a similar type boutique while going to school and substitute teaching in St. John’s.
“So I just got very familiar with it and it kind of became a passion of mine outside my regular passions of music and teaching.”
This past summer Katie mentioned how it would be nice to have her own store.
She had just accepted a teaching position that would see her split between Sacred Heart in Corner Brook and St. Peter’s Academy in Benoit’s Cove and Rebecca was working in the city with Key Assets.
Their dad, Steve Barrett, said why not do it, that they were young and now was the time.
Katie jokingly said she doesn’t want him to know, but he was right.
And so she dove in and went to New York and met with suppliers.
“I already had all the background and the training, so it was like second nature to me to even do it.”
The store carries bras and underwear for woman of all sizes, a lot of things that are not available locally, and offers bra fittings. It also has nursing bras, shape wear, things for brides, a line of men’s underwear known as MyPakage, all natural soaps and lotions from the St. John’s–based Tval Skincare and some bath bombs made by the sisters.
In the new year the store will be carrying mastectomy bras.
What’s Underneath is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and the Barretts will take appointments outside those hours if needed.
And because What’s Underneath is located in a downstairs shop that is not accessible they will make home visits.
