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w at er lo oc hr on ic le .c a W at er lo o C hr on ic le | T hu rs da y, N ov em be r 8, 20 18 | 6 CAMBRIDGE 90 Main Street cornerstonefurniture.ca 519.740.9991 /CornerstoneHome /cornerstonehomeinteriors We stock more sofas than any store in Ontario. Be amazed! CORNERSTONE'S BLACK FRIDAY SALE From November 7th to December 7th enjoy store-wide deals on all in-stock cabinets, sofas, dining tables, chairs and our Woven collection. When Dani Anderson opened the House of Bam- boo three years ago, she wanted to be in uptown Wa- terloo. But the cards did not line up in her favour. "This was always going to be my first choice," said Anderson in her new up- town Waterloo retail loca- tion at 95 King St. S. Three years ago, ahead of what turned out to be years of construction in the uptown core, Anderson started the business, which carried home comfort sup- plies and clothing originat- ing from hemp or bamboo; such materials are seen as environmentally-sustain- able options to traditional cotton clothing. The original location opened in the Galt area of Cambridge, to much fan- fare and a strong customer base. Despite the success of the Cambridge location, Anderson, who grew up in Waterloo, felt the itch to get into the uptown core. In early October, she fi- nally got the chance, as she took over the space that was American Apparel on the south end of the up- town core. "It's just different from Cambridge - it's a different demographic - Waterloo people are more con- scious," said Anderson. A stay-at-home mom for son and daughter, who are now 17 and 15, respectively, Anderson worked part- time during tax season for an income tax preparation company. But she always wanted to start a business. She found the sustainabil- ity aspect of bamboo and hemp clothing and acces- sories to be the perfect so- lution to environmental is- sues around the world. "I got to fully commit to raising my children and now I get to commit to rais- ing my business," said An- derson, adding that she feels very blessed to have done so. Plus, much of the cloth- ing she carries is made in Canada, rather than over- seas. "I think it's important and more people should be aware of where clothes come from and how they're made and how it affects our planet," said Anderson. In terms of customer support, Anderson said it's split into different demo- graphics. Customers 35- plus often comment on how soft the clothing or bedding is, while she has found that the younger demographic is very concerned about the sustainability of what they purchase. "I actually had two young ladies in here yester- day say they don't care about how it looks, just the fact that it's sustainable," said Anderson. On top of textiles for home, men, women, chil- dren and babies available in the store, there are also hemp and bamboo-based lotions as well as other items. Unlike her Cambridge store, Anderson made an effort to keep the Waterloo location spacious and airy, something her customers have asked for in the past. The spacious, stretching space includes a wall of bamboo T-shirts, racks with sweaters and a num- ber of different displays. Heading into her second month in business in up- town Waterloo, Anderson said it's been nothing but a positive experience. "We're excited to be here. It's a lovely communi- ty. The people that I've met here so far are so kind and supportive. I feel kind of lucky. "I feel like it's the right environment for it and the timing was right." BUSINESS WITH A FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY, HOUSE OF BAMBOO OPENS IN UPTOWN WATERLOO NEWBIZ LEARN ABOUT NEW BUSINESSES IN YOUR COMMUNITY. WATERLOOCHRONICLE.CA NEW LOCATION AT 95 KING ST. ADDRESS: 95 King St. PHONE; 519-622-2121 Dani Anderson, owner of House of Bamboo, recently opened a second location on the south end of uptown Waterloo. The store carries clothing and accessories that are bamboo or hemp-based. Adam Jackson/Metroland ADAM JACKSON ajackson@waterloo chronicle.ca