- Story by Lauren Edwards Photography by Don Denton
Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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As Chris Manley whistles a jazzy tune through his teeth, I realize heB次元官网网址檚 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 B次元官网网址� 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 B次元官网网址渕astered the art of the different sounds and the noodling to it.B次元官网网址�
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 didnB次元官网网址檛 feel right.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an old way [of looking at it],B次元官网网址� Chris explains. B次元官网网址淲hich is just alarming because [noramlly] two people sleep in a bed, and each person has different needs.B次元官网网址�
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 B次元官网网址渟tarted to clue in that conventional mattresses are not as healthy as weB次元官网网址檝e been told they are.B次元官网网址� And, he adds, this is not evening considering their environmental impact B次元官网网址� with around B次元官网网址�30 million mattresses a year going to landfills in North America.B次元官网网址� 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.
B次元官网网址淎s a kid, I remember complaining about taking naps, which seemed like a requirement. As an adult, having a good nightB次元官网网址檚 sleep is vital.
B次元官网网址淥nce I donB次元官网网址檛 get enough sleep, my sugar addiction kicks in because IB次元官网网址檓 trying to get that jolt, and that actually hurts my brain. Then I start to get anxiety, then I get mild depression, and itB次元官网网址檚 just this cycle.B次元官网网址�
He adds: B次元官网网址淏ecause when you are laying there, if youB次元官网网址檙e getting hot, youB次元官网网址檙e tossing and turning, and youB次元官网网址檙e hurting, well that kicks in the brainB次元官网网址tB次元官网网址檚 ultimately what discomforts people. When you get into your 50s, 60s and 70s, if youB次元官网网址檙e not sleeping well, you can get sick.B次元官网网址�
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 B次元官网网址� music and the mattress businessB次元官网网址� under one roof.
Chis says the idea for the business had always been in concept form, but when B次元官网网址渙ut popped of DawnB次元官网网址檚 mouth B次元官网网址楻esthouse,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� 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 LindwallB次元官网网址檚 farm in Glenora, just outside of Duncan.
B次元官网网址淲e try to do as much locally as we can,B次元官网网址� 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 itB次元官网网址檚 still in good shape) is donated to charity.
DawnB次元官网网址檚 decoration of the store was influenced by hygge (pronounced B次元官网网址渉oog-gaB次元官网网址�) B次元官网网址� a Danish word meaning B次元官网网址渁 mood of cosiness and comfortable conviviality with feelings of wellness and contentment.B次元官网网址�
The duo originally met at The Haven, which offered an improvisational a cappella singing course called B次元官网网址淭he Singing Soul.B次元官网网址� Chris, who had always enjoyed music, says the course was B次元官网网址渟erendipitous because thatB次元官网网址檚 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.B次元官网网址�
During the course, he was urged by instructor David Hatfield to B次元官网网址渘o matter what, just keep singing.B次元官网网址�
So Chris continued his musical training on his own, playing a game of B次元官网网址渨histle it or sing it.B次元官网网址� He put his entire music library on shuffle B次元官网网址� 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 B次元官网网址渇ind ways through intuition in the moment to create songs,B次元官网网址� says Chris.
Years later, heB次元官网网址檚 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 B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址渨ho are both amazing singersB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� what it means to not give up on dreams.
In addition to singing, whistling and selling sleep solutions, Chris likes B次元官网网址渉anging out with the kids,B次元官网网址� swimming in various lakes on the island and spending time at his parentsB次元官网网址� home that has a B次元官网网址渃abin-likeB次元官网网址� 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 B次元官网网址� 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 B次元官网网址渒indness and heart.B次元官网网址� He still carries this important lesson to B次元官网网址渦nderstand that we all struggle, and if you just default to kindness, the universe takes care of you.B次元官网网址�
Now thatB次元官网网址檚 something to whistle about.
Check out ChrisB次元官网网址� company .
