Balisi Interview Part 1

Just before the Holidays I got to sit down with  store manager and in house stylist Dale Hodder of Balisi. Here is part 1 of the interview.


LIZ: Why decide to work for Balisi, since you are an already established stylist for 15 years?

DALE: There are a lot of opportunities out there, but Balisi being a growing company, I saw great opportunities. I met up with owner Rehlee during fashion week and as we talked I felt the connection and the vision of his company and the opportunities that came with it. This company has allowed me opportunities to grow consistently since I started.


LIZ: What was the owners (Rehlee Balisi and Cory Kierstead) inspiration to open a footwear store in Toronto, and what sets Balisi apart from other shoe and accessories stores?

DALE: They have seen a lot of retail stores that currently supply shoes, but there weren’t a lot of them with fashionable shoes, something that’s artistic, and something that is expressive. They saw an opportunity to feed into an energy that didn’t already exist outside of Balisi.


LIZ: Balisi has 2 other already established locations one on College, one on Queen
Street and now this new Danforth location, why was it important to open a new store on the Danforth?

DALE: The major reason was that they already pinpointed the College crowd, the Queen Street crowd. Passing by the Danforth area they noticed that although there were a variety of things, there still wasn’t anywhere that was catering to the younger fresher clientele that was looking for a little bit more.


LIZ: do you feel that the Danforth is a new emerging multi cultural location?

DALE: Danforth definitely was a very traditionally Greek neighbourhood in the past but over the last few years that tradition has grown on a bigger avenue. There are all types of stores and restaurants now, I think the Danforth area was looking for a way to expand itself, and of course we saw the opportunity to become apart of something that is ever expanding.