Kimberley Nicole Leclair-Dodd
Nicole Leclair-Dodd planted roots in Kimberley and is now seeing Sprout Grocery begin to grow to its full potential
| Name: | Nicole Leclair-Dodd |
| Business: | Sprout Grocery |
| Year in business: | 1 |
| Grew up in: | Picture Butte, Alberta |
| Downtime activities: | Cooking, spending time outside with their dog, reading, writing, chopping wood for the wood stove |
Nicole Leclair-Dodd spent several nomadic years after graduation moving from city to city and job to job before meeting her husband, Cam Dodd, and following him back to his hometown of Kimberley. The community quickly became her home as well, and together they looked for a business that would fit within the city and reflect their values.
“There are a lot of people like my husband and myself looking for a rural place to live based on lifestyle,” said Leclair-Dodd. “And I think when you’re looking for quality of life, food quality also plays into that.”
With that in mind, Nicole and Cam created Sprout Grocery, which specializes in locally grown, organic and specialty foods. The business filled two gaps for the couple, giving them access to the kinds of food they were looking for as well as providing them with ongoing employment.
Leclair-Dodd has learned to build on her strengths in business.
“I think I’m flexible and yet assertive,” she said, “and being a good listener helps. I can bring in the things that people want.”
In the year since Sprout opened, the community has welcomed both the business and the couple who own it. And Leclair-Dodd is welcoming the lessons that come with owning a business.
“I think people are honestly willing to embrace change,” she said. “All it takes is a little education and the desire to be different and you can make your life better.”
Photo by Kris Lindblad
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