The People of Yorkville - Rhonda Flomen Yorkville Retailer Celebrates 35 Years   It all began for Rhonda Flomen in 1971 when she was living in Montréal. An expectant friend returned from a trip to the U.S., all excited about a new maternity store that she had visited. On her friend’s recommendation, Rhonda did some investigating and got caught up in the idea opening her own store, the first Canadian location for the Lady Madonna franchise. Saying to herself “How hard could this be?” she ventured into retailing and found that there was a lot more to it than she originally thought. She never dreamed that she would still be going strong 35 years later.    Rhonda decided to locate her new franchise in central Toronto, at 120 Cumberland Street in Yorkville, the original address. When it opened in 1971, the Four Seasons Hotel was not in Yorkville and Holt Renfrew was located directly across the street adjacent to the Bay subway station. “The area was very different back then from what it is now,” states Rhonda. “There were no apartment buildings, no condominiums and no large chain retailers. It really was a small village with independent boutiques.”   Rhonda took her business through the various phases that are common to many franchises: conversion from franchise to an independent operator and expansion to multiple locations. Rhonda found that running a business with seven stores was not what she wanted so she decided to focus on a single, highly focused location, in Yorkville. She still found time in all of this to have three children and is now enjoying life as a grandmother and plays a regular game of golf with friends.    She still believes that Yorkville is the best location for operation. “We need to let people know that Yorkville is convenient to get to from any part of the city. This is where the two subway lines cross, making it easy for anyone to shop here.”   Rhonda has noticed some changes in maternity fashion and her customer base in the past thirty-five years. “Many clients are career women who are having their babies later than we used to. Some of the younger women like their maternity clothes to be a little more revealing.”    Rhonda’s collections still follow the fashion trends. Carrying mainly career wear and higher end designer labels, she prides herself on reasonable prices for high quality clothing, undergarments and accessories.She carries exclusive lines from Canadian designers such as Minnow, Duet and Tummi, as well as her own private label.   The photo shows client Monica Matys wearing items from the Rhonda Maternity Fall 2006 Collection. Monica, a Health reporter for CTV News, is in the final months of her second pregnancy and has been wearing a full professional career wardrobe from Rhonda Maternity throughout her term. “You don’t even feel pregnant in these clothes. You feel stream lined and beautiful. They really are elegant.”    Rhonda’s Five Tips in Buying Maternity Wear   1)      Be realistic in your weight gain. You are going to gain 20 to 25 lbs and it’s not going to be all baby weight. Don’t buy your clothes too small and definitely allow for breathing room.   2)      Coordinate so you can mix and match the items you buy. Do not create a limited wardrobe by buying a skirt that will only match one top. Buy a skirt that you can create ten different outfits with.   3)      Dress to your lifestyle. If you wear casual clothing on the weekend and need work attire for the week, buy some of both styles and make yourself comfortable.   4)      Treat yourself and be good to yourself. If you like the way you look others will too.   5)      Make sure you buy proper under garments. Everything looks better when you have proper support.   Rhonda Maternity: An Original Cumberland Street Store http://www.rhondamaternity.com/ Rhonda Maternity is located at 110 Cumberland Street in Yorkville and is considered the oldest retail business on the street. Open 7 days per week. Store hours are: Monday to Wednesday 10 a.m.- 6 p.m., Thursday and Friday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday 12 p.m.- 4 p.m. Phone: 416-921-3116   Article by www.YorkvilleNews.ca and Budman and Associates   Media Contact: Laura Cartledge/Nina Budman Budman and Associates Tel: 416.515.7667 E-mail: mail@budmanpr.com   Yorkville News Contact Paul Ferri E-mail: Info@YorkvilleNews.ca