Meet Erin Ebenbauer (nee: Watson) | Owner of Watson & Lou

We had the good fortune of connecting with Erin Ebenbauer (nee: Watson) and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Erin, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
Watson & Lou was brought together and inspired by the local Peterborough Community. Literally.

I, Erin Ebenbauer (nee: Watson) and Anna Eidt, met through a local entrepreneurial contest and both recognized that there was a lack of locally made items available year round in our area.

Having known a lot of artists and makers in town, we began to explore what it would look like to open a brick and mortar. Safe to say, the idea was well received among our artist peers! At the time, options for local handmade items were restricted to spring and summer markets as well as online options like Etsy.

After 5 successful years in business Anna decided to return to her roots in music education leaving myself at the helm of Watson & Lou in August 2022.

Watson & Lou’s objective is to host a dynamic, beautiful, creative shop that helps local artists and makers reach a wider audience, that invites people to try new artsy skills, and that helps everyone find the perfect, special, unique thing to brighten someone’s day while also investing in the local creative community.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Watson & Lou is a contemporary handmade boutique in the heart of downtown Peterborough, Ontario. We are lucky to have three separate creative spaces: our boutique, our workshop/gallery space, as well as 4 private art studios up on the second floor – one of which boasts a large screen printing facility with a 20 foot padded table.

The boutique and workshops help consumers access cutting-edge styles to furnish and update their spaces in sustainable ways while investing directly in the local creative economy, empowering local creative entrepreneurs to reach a wider audience. In addition to selling local prints, housewares, accessories, body products, and home furnishings on consignment, the shop offers a carefully curated selection of housewares and accessories by leading independent Canadian brands purchased by W&L at wholesale rates.

We proudly host, high-quality workshops with an emphasis on creative play for adults, skills appreciation, and sustainable goods for the home.

Creating a business of this size was no easy feat! My old business partner and I had put in a lot of overtime and unpaid hours to create the space that thrives today. It certainly wasn’t easy, but it’s proving to be worth it! With the help of each other and our supportive partners, we were able to keep our heads high when things got tough.

There are many lessons I’ve learned, but some of the most important have been that you can’t do it all. It’s important to focus on what you can do and do it well. Trying to be everything for everyone is unsustainable. Reminding myself of the concept of, ‘who, not how,’ has been helpful. Meaning, recognizing the things I should, and are able to do myself verses the things I need to hire for and outsource.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
A tour down Water Street is a must. Admittedly, yes, we are bias because that is where we are located, but there is really something special about our little one way street. A place that was once a quiet street with a small outreach church, and numerous book stores now hosts some of the most creative spaces in Peterborough. We have two incredible vintage boutiques with some of the best, well curated items, Statement House & Neighbourhood Vintage. A high end yarn shop with stunning floor to ceiling options, Needles in the Hay. A little plant shop with a huge selection of houseplants and potentially the best social media out there, Plant Goals. A full service interior design company with the cutest pups in the window at Key Design Inc. A cute little book shop, By the Bridge, as well as a unique spot with handmade tools, kitchen knives and sharpening at East City Knife Co. But the amazing tour of Water Street doesn’t stop there! Feeling Hungry? We have a delicious donut shop, Tragically Dipped, a vegan bake shop Revelstoke Bake House, a local food market with high end preserves and local produce at The Food Shop. Or you can sit down for some wine and fine cuisine at restaurants like Amandala’s, Urban Plate, St. Veronus, or Bijoux Bar. If you can believe it, this is all within ONE block!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There have been a lot of amazing supporters of Watson & Lou so I hope I remember everyone! Having our jumping off point as a local entrepreneurial content, our local DBIA is to thank for our initial leap of faith. From there, we were able to secure additional financing through Peterborough Economic Development Centre, Community Futures, and Pinnguaq who have been big players in our success. As for mentors, we are very lucky to be surrounded by an amazing group of female business owners who have all, in one way or another, been a guiding force behind Watson & Lou.

Website: https://www.watsonandlou.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/watsonandlou/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erincwatson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/watsonandlou

Image Credits
All photos by Erin Ebenbauer