Greenhouse Books ... "where people grow"

a place to nourish and nurture
the heart, the mind, the soul, the spirit, and the body.

Phone: (604) 682-0333 fax: (604) 682-0315
Mon. to Sat. 10-10 Sun. 11-10
103-595 Howe Street
Vancouver, BC, V6G 2M6

e-mail owner olivia mcivor: CLICK HERE
visit the Greenhouse Books Website: www.mygreenhousebooks.com

Columnist NFTS Karl Schmidt had this to say about Greenhouse Books in Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Walking down Denman Street you can't help but notice the hum of activity as people travel to Stanley Park or participate in the ever-present social activities. Amongst all of this activity though you will find a small oasis nestled quietly between several busy coffee shops; this oasis is Greenhouse Books…Where People Grow, an independent bookstore specializing in personal and professional development books and resources.

Peering into the windows you see wind chimes, an assortment of cards, candles and of course, books, but it is not until you enter the store that you become aware of something special. In a physical sense, the hardwood floors, fireplace, beautiful sky-colored domed ceiling and the relaxing music all work in harmony to please the senses, but very quickly every person who enters senses on some level that Greenhouse Books is more than just a bookstore. This intangible feeling of "something more" stems from their mandate to sell, "products and services that enhance the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social and professional well-being" of their customers in order that they will be "inspired and empowered to positively impact their families, businesses, communities and the planet." Since it's opening in February of 2000, the response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive, affirming that the business is indeed meeting these lofty goals.

As with any business that strives to set a new standard in community service and social responsibility, the vision and foundation for this "something more" must be held by leaders with a great deal of insight, energy and compassion. These are traits possessed in abundance by the owner, Olivia McIvor, principal, Andrea Jacques, and manager, Lorinne Lee. All three bring solid business experience to the store: Olivia with 13 years in Human Resources for large corporations including her most recent position as BC Director of Human Resources, at Canada Trust for 2000 employees; Andrea with 12 years working with universities, government, entrepreneurs, and corporations (five of those working internationally in Japan) to "build values-centered organizations dedicated to the long-term sustainability of people and profits"; and Lorinne with ten years working in corporations in Australia coordinating leading-edge employee wellness and professional development training programs.

Olivia, Andrea and Lorinne all believe that by treating employees as valuable resources and by using a supportive management style, referred to by Robert K. Greenleaf as "Servant Leadership", they can bring out the best in their employees. Employees feel truly valued mainly because at Greenhouse Books "employee" is not a term that you would here uttered very often. Why? Because they believe that the people who work there are their 'friends' and are treated with the values such as trust, authenticity, loyalty, and truth-telling that are associated with friendship. In this type of environment, the principals believe that staff are better able to contribute their talents and passions to be of service to the business and it's customers.

Supporting the Vancouver community is a big priority for Greenhouse Books. Financially, community organizations such as the "Life Foundation", "KindActs", and "Clam Chowder for the Soul" have also benefited from the generosity of Greenhouse Books in the form of cash donations, donations of products, and community service from store employees who are paid to do volunteer work for various charitable organizations or to participate in community events. At a grass roots level, the provide another important community service by assisting and promoting local artists. Amateur poets and authors are invited to share their material every second week in a venue called "The Spoken Word" and local art exhibits are featured each quarter with all profits from the sale of their items going back to the artist!

Regarding environmental responsibility, Greenhouse Books is very aware that books consume trees and contribute to environmental degredation, so to ensure that these trees serve as many people as possible, they have undertaken an unprecedented initiative to recycle used books and give them new homes with worthy and valuable community organizations such as their current recipient, The Center for Integrated Healing. This obviously reduces the number of books going to landfill sites while giving valuable resource material to needy organizations in our community.

By holding tight to their vision for a better community and planet, the owners and staff at Greenhouse Books...where people grow continue to fulfill their mission to act as a catalyst for awakening vitality within individuals, workplaces, and communities. Don't let the peaceful, oasis like atmosphere in this wonderful bookstore fool you; still waters run deep and there is a great deal more happening in this community hub than meets the eye. So next time you are in the area stop by and "dip into the well" to discover their abundant resources to nourish your body, spirit, or even your business.

click here to visit the Greenhouse Books website