Lindsay Knight and Lloyd Woods were helping a friend scout out a location for a new café and had no plans to open their store, 9thVibration, until they stepped inside the vacant shop at 497 Woolwich St.
“Honestly, we had no intention of having this business,” said Knight. “We had an appointment to come and see this space and as soon as we walked in I said to Lloyd, ‘This is what it is. I can see it’.”
What Knight saw was an opportunity to help people like herself recovering from trauma and to connect the holistic community in Guelph. Woods was looking for a meaningful career change after 30 years as a sound and lighting engineer.
“We both knew there wasn’t anything else in town,” said Woods. “The competition closed their doors a couple years before we opened. There were a lot of people looking for these types of products.”
They have stayed true to their vision but the business has evolved since they opened their doors in February of 2014.
“Our original plan when we put this together has modified because of the community and the feedback we were getting,” said Woods. “You can either ignore the feedback or incorporate the feedback and I think that is what we have done.”
Knight is an author, numerologist, wholistic practitioner and jewellery maker and Woods is a Reiki master and sound vibration practitioner.
“In a nutshell we sell products or tools that help people relax and empower,” said Woods.
“We have meditation aids, whether they be singing bowls and tingshaws or through the use of crystals, incense and aromatherapy. The stuff we make here is only available here. It is customized stuff and it is also stuff that will help you come into your own power.”
They also host workshops covering a wide variety of holistic therapies and experiences many of which are led by other local practitioners.
“This community is very rich in practitioners,” said Knight. “We are very mindful about what we bring into our store. Not everything fits here.”
Knight and Woods met online six years ago and going into business was a big step for their relationship
“I think as a couple we have grown,” said Knight. “We’ve had a lot of personal growth.
When you grow as a person then your business grows and I really think it is a reflection of our relationship. It kind of mirrors everything.”
The familial vibe has been further strengthened by the introduction of Knight’s daughter Krista.
“My daughter’s presence has really changed the energy of the store,” said Knight. “Now Lloyd and I have every other weekend off so that is really nice.”
Krista also brings her own expertise to the shop.
“Krista is exceptionally good at singing bowls and using some of the other products we sell here,” said Woods. “We also have another employee Nicole. She is like an adopted daughter. Now with Krista and Nicole, we are like a little community within a community.”
Knight has published a book on numerology called Regarding Self and is launching a customized deck of cards called Triggered to help people identify and process trauma.
“I guess you could call it an oracle deck that is based on triggers,” she said. “When we are triggered emotionally we have been conditioned to resist and we are fearful of the triggering where, in fact, it is a communication.”
They focus on person-to-person interactions but also have plans to broaden their online presence.
“We are definitely thinking more about our online presence,” said Knight. “We would be silly not to.”
She also sees room for progress in her relationship with Woods.
“Marriage,” she said with a giggle and a glance at her business partner. “I call myself Lindsay Knight, almost Woods.”