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Dimensions Unlimited Ingenuity key to getting business started Wendy McCreary Chronicle Staff For Helen Charnicovsky, owner of Dimensions Unlimited, starting her new business took a great deal of ingenuity. Charnicovsky wanted a shop that would provide clothing and accessories for largeâ€"size women but ‘‘didn‘t know where to find large size clothing suppliers." She started first by getting clothing brand names from anâ€" other store then went to the library where she photocopied the yellow pages that listed suppliers in London and Toronto. She wrote some letters and *"got a response from all of them."‘ Enthusiastically, Charniâ€" covsky said, "Now they phone The Ontario Ministry of Trade and Tourism was also helpful. "A young man there gave me lots of help. He had a WATTS line so he called many suppliers." Charniâ€" covsky also took the How to Start Your Own Business course ofâ€" fered at Conestoga College. Prompted by the fact that she is a larger size, Charnicovsky feels there is a need for her store. "It‘s always been difficult findâ€" ing nice clothes in my size." She added, "I‘ve always wanted my own business." Charnicovsky said her customâ€" ers are "thrilled and delighted" that she has made the clothes more available. ‘"They say, ‘You mean I don‘t have to drive to London or Toronto anymore?‘ They‘re so happy," she said. ‘"Some have come back four or five times already." Dimensions Unlimited, located in the Atrium at 33 Erb St. W., has been open since October 22, 1985, a mere six months after she first got the idea. Charnicovsky sees her shop as a oneâ€"stopâ€"shopping f!)Iace beâ€" cause, besides clothing, she offers pantyhose, undergarâ€" ments, lingerie and jewelry. "Just everything," she said. The whole idea behind the Succeed with a model for weight control that gives you: FEEL BETTER LOOK GREAT \’o \O starvation FRA“ e Free kit of professionally authored resources aring, comptent staff of dietitian nutritionists with 20+ years in nutrition education and counselling. Private nutrition consultations for a variety of disorders CALL 884â€"THIN (8446) and LOSE WEIGHT 309â€"55 Erb St. E., Waterloo (Erb Centre) For more information and a FREE assessment e Slimmer, trimmer \v shape through the _\ right combination of nutrition, exercise and lifestyle e Practical tools for LONG TERM behaviour change e Feelings of satisfaction not starvation e Free kit of professionally authored resources store is to get larger women looking good. "It‘s an education process," she said. "Just beâ€" cause you‘re large doesn‘t mean you can‘t look good. "Big women aren‘t used to having brightlyâ€"colored clothing. They‘re in theblack, blue, brown syndrome."Charnicovsky said these women are "frustrated already‘‘ by their size let alone the type of clothing they can wear. "If it‘s fashionable to wear Te EL ia% a aje a w w w m 6 n & wb 6A K d a oA a Helen Charnicovsky has many brightly colored sweaters to choose from. Honesty is a store policy. "If something doesn‘t look good we tell them ‘No, that‘s not for a belt, then wear it."‘ you. Dimensions Unlimited stocks clothing in sizes 14â€"24 1/2 and will carry sizes up to 56 in the spring. Other than Penningtons, this is the only other store in Waterioo that provides the large size clothing, Charnicovsky said. JUST FOR YOU FLOWER SHOP HAVE A WEDDING PRESENT FOR YOU! {<~< WE DO CUSTOMIZED WORK WITH YOU IN MIND FOR YOUR SPECIAL DAY FRESH OR SILK FLOWERS â€" TRADITIONAL OR MODERN Place Your Wedding Order With Us During The Month of February, $100. or More and Receive a FREE Blue Garter For Her and An Armband For Him. Remember, The Earlier You Order The More Help We Can Give You With Your Budget "JUST FOR YOU‘‘ FLOWERS CAN PUT YOU AT EASE Be Smart e Be Early e Be Specific Shop With The People Who Are Terrific 578â€"1040 JUST FOR YOU Charnicovsky emphasizes that her store ‘‘isn‘t a chain. It‘s a venture from a local person."‘ This is beneficial to the customâ€" ers because "I don‘t have 29 dresses all the same," she said. "I don‘t want them to walk down the street and see themselves."‘ Charnicovsky gave the example that she is the only one supplied by Jordache in the Kâ€"W area. _The majority of the shop‘s items are Canadianâ€"made. "I try with to buy Canadian," she said. "The sweaters aren‘t because I haven‘t found the suppliers yet." Charnicovsky does everything she can to make her business a "service"‘. ‘‘We don‘t pester peoâ€" ple when they come in. We just say ‘hi‘ and use their name. They know we‘re here." Other ways Charnicovsky serves her customers is by takâ€" ing any orders they may have for a particular item. "I already have orders for weddings in August. If something comes in I think they might like, 1 call them. What other store does that?" she asked. ‘"Nobody ever did that for me." The decision of expansion has already been made. "I don‘t want more than one store. I want all my attention to go to one locaâ€" tion." What Charnicovsky hopes for the most is to build a clientele who will come in on a regular basis, by season. "I have to be very conservaâ€" tive in buying," she said. "You don‘t know what they‘re going to like." Charnicovsky explained that it is just a matter of feeling her way to ‘"see what the market will fair." She also asks for suggestions from her customers as to what they‘d like to see her stock. Charnicovsky was surprised that she ran out of stock in sizes 38â€"44. "It‘s a huge market. I didn‘t anticipate that."" However, she assures that she has ordered double for spring wear as comâ€" pared to that of fall wear. ‘"‘Ninetyâ€"nine per cent, no 100 per cent (of her customers) say they‘ll be back," she said. ‘"‘That‘s because they realize I‘m here and have a good service business." Proud of her selection, Charniâ€" covsky said, "If you were a large size lady and you walked in here naked, 1 could dress you from top to bottom and make you look great!"