Some shops may claim to have class and style, but at Ely's Boutique and Gift Shop, owner and manager Ely Santos has that, and more, in spades.
Ely's Boutique offers bridal gowns, grad dresses and more and Ely is there to help ensure each customer has the exact fit for them.
Before starting her boutique, Ely, who came to Canada from the Phillipines in 1966, worked as a cooking teacher.
"When I married Mr. Santos, he said 'You're not working. You'll be a stay-at-home mom.'"
Ely and her husband lived in the Northwest Territories for nine years where he was a geologist.
"We moved to Trail and this is where I ended up - in Castlegar," she said. "I started up a small business on 4th Street."
Soon enough, Ely's Boutique out-grew the small building and Ely was looking to expand.
"I said to my husband, 'I need a bigger one'," said Santos. "He said, 'which one?' and I said, 'The Bank of Commerce building'. He said, 'what will you do with that big building?'. I said, 'Just buy it for my anniversary and birthday.' So I got it."
The Santos' took over the CIBC building in 1986 and have run Ely's Boutique out of the key downtown Castlegar corner location ever since.
"I started with a small business and it got bigger and bigger," she said. "I decided to bring in anything I wanted. My speciality is specialty dresses like grad dresses, mother of the grad dresses."
Along with grad dresses, Ely also sells wedding dresses, jewellery, and shoes. She is the exclusive supplier of Tony Bowls dresses in the West Kootenays.
Every year I bring in 100 different dresses for grad, she said. She has customers from all over B.C., Alberta, Northwest Territories, and Washington State.
Ely's Boutique is popular because they offer big city apparel with small town personal service. Personal service means Ely will make sure there are no duplicate dresses sold for an grad or wedding.
"Castlegar is a small community, you cannot sell a lot the same merchandise because it's a small town," she said. "When you have a wedding or party the same people are invited so you cannot sell two dresses for one."
Ely got into the business because she loves dresses. She admits to having more than a few of her own.
Ely is also not shy about telling a customer if a dress doesn't look good on them. She will point that customer towards another dress that will look better.
The Santos' were able to save money during their time in the Northwest Territories. After living in Vancouver and Trail, they eventually settled in Castlegar and were able to purchase a small building and start the business without owing any money.
"That is the safest way to start a business - don't owe money. But not too many people can do it. I'm just glad I have a husband whose nose I can bend left or right," she laughed.
Ely is grateful for her husband's support, calling him her "Perfect Saint", which is the basic English translation of his name, Perfecto Santos.
For the first three years of business, Ely saved and put that money back into the boutique. "I sacrificed for three years and then poured money back into the business, because my husband bought the groceries - put the bread and the butter on the table," she said.
Of course, no business lasts long without good service and a good name.
"It takes honesty, she will tell this lady if the dress doesn't look good," said Perfecto. "She has that reputation, she doesn't push the expensive dress on you if it doesn't look good."