Local clothing store Positive Inception is back in business after a fire closed the shop for nearly three months. Owner Ryan Benoit kept a positive attitude through it all — it’s kind of his jam, after all.
“So (the business next door) burned down on Feb. 22. We were closed for two-and-a-half months. That was definitely different. I think it was worse than COVID because I didn't know what was going on and dealing with insurance and the state of all the clothes,” Benoit told Sudbury.com in an interview.
On Feb. 22 a fire took place at approximately 11 p.m. at a Barber Shop location on Lasalle Boulevard at the Place De Leon strip mall, right next to Positive Inception. Despite the fire being contained to a single unit in this incident, adjoining units suffered smoke and water damage.
“But we opened up May 16 and ever since then, everyone's been so awesome. And the community support has always been so great – I think that's what makes the brand what it is.”
The clothing brand is a local gem that Benoit started up when he was a Laurentian University student in 2014. Before he was selling his designs out of a store front, Benoit’s clothing store existed, basically, in his backpack.
“When it first started, it was word of mouth that we're just selling T-shirts and hoodies out of my backpack in the library all the time, or different events within the city. It just kind of grew from there,” Benoit said.
The brand continued to expand from a word-of-mouth business to a pop-up shop at the New Sudbury Centre to a 1,200 square foot store on Lasalle Boulevard in 2017.
Benoit, though, didn’t just want to sell high-quality clothes, although he does set a high standard when it comes to the clothing he sells. No, Benoit wanted to spread a message and a philosophy of living — this is design as action.
Positive Inception sends a message to customers to keep a positive mindset through the good days and the bad days. And while everyone has bad days, almost everyone also “survives 100 per cent of their bad days,” Benoit said.
He said the key to a positive mindset is to plant the seed of positivity mentally. The representation of the seed is also reflected in the logo for the brand as well.
“(The word) ‘inception’ means the beginning of something. So whenever you want something or do something new, you always gotta be positive and have positive thoughts and positive intentions. And whenever you want to help someone, it's kind of the same idea. You always have to have their best interests in mind and the logo is a seed,” Benoit said.
Positive Inception is not only a message to people to keep going, it’s also a business that supports and partners with various charities. Benoit donates part of his proceeds to a number of local charitable organizations and causes, including the Northern Cancer Foundation and research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
He said he loves to give back to the community because the community has given so much to him.
Staying positive and optimistic isn’t just a state of mind for Benoit, it has helped him manage his condition and drives him to help others and spread a positive message.
“I was born with cerebral palsy, but it hasn't really stopped me from doing what I want to do or choosing what I want to do,” Benoit said. “Sometimes I do things a lot differently than most people, like getting dressed in the morning or physical things, but that's kind of why I go to the gym every single day to try to get better and stronger and, and more mobile, more independent.”
Benoit attributes his positivity to his drive to achieve his ambitions and goals. Not only has he built a business from the ground up, he’s also sustained the business as the sole employee. This means he’s the owner, the cashier, the sales associate and more for the Positive Inception. On top of his busy work schedule, Benoit sticks to a strict exercise regimen, squeezing in an early morning workout five times a week at 6 a.m. Oftentimes with work at the shop, his days don’t end until 9 p.m.
Benoit will not let anything get in the way of reaching his goals.
“I think I wouldn't be given obstacles and challenges if I couldn’t handle it. And in a weird way, having a disability is kind of part of me and I just embrace it and try to do the best that I possibly can.”
Eden Suh is a reporter at Sudbury.com. Success is made possible by our Community Leaders Program.
