Caliente Fashion Inc

At Caliente Fashion Inc., you’ll discover a mix of high-end new and gently used consignment items, all at unbeatable prices. “These days, we are about 75 percent new and 25 percent used,” says owner Jane Edgar.

A physical education teacher by trade, Jane has always loved clothes. For a few years, she worked at a small clothing shop when school was not in session before she finally decided to take the leap and focus on her passion for fashion, opening the doors of Caliente Fashion Inc. in 2004.

“The other lady didn’t want to sell [the shop I worked at], so I opened this sort of on a wing and a prayer and it worked,” says Jane proudly.

Since Caliente is a family-run shop, Jane’s two boys take care of the power washing and maintenance, while her two girls help out on the sales floor. Caliente is also a community-minded business, and donates approximately 10 bags of clothing a day to the Lion’s Gate Children’s Hospital and two local churches. “I’m very proud of that,” says Jane, who ensures everything that comes into her shop finds a home. “And everything else is recycled; we are very much a green shop.”

In addition, Jane helps promote the businesses of her clients and the neighbourhood merchants. “I’m very happy to do it… Anyone who has something that is interesting and I think they could use exposure, I’ll help them. On this particular block we all care about each other, so we’re very lucky because we’re all in it together to make the block thrive. That’s part of the charm of small business.”