Jan Robert, 60, doesn't want to say goodbye to her customers, but she has to.
After battling brain cancer for the last year, the local bra-fitter will have to close her beloved Queen Street shop, Feel’n Fabulous.
In January, Robert’s doctors gave her about 18 months to live.
Robert is known for her fun character and sense of humour — traits that come in handy in her line of work, dealing with boobs.
“You’re just getting a rag from (insert department store name here) — I’m sorry. Anyone that comes in with a (same department store) bra… no wonder you feel like (crap),” said Robert, who doesn't hold back from saying how she feels.
“You don’t need to wear your grandma’s bra,” said Robert, emphasizing she has better colours and styles as well.
Robert first got into bras, or, rather, the bra business, in the 1990s, when she and her sister opened the shop ‘Undercover Bureau’.
When her sister wanted to retire eight years ago she closed for a month, restructured, and came up with her own concept —Feel’n Fabulous.
She does it because she has a talent and loves being able to help people with that.
“If you’re looking for a paycheck, no… this is for the passion,” she said.
Jan Roberts shows drawers full of bras at Feel'n Fabulous. Jeff Klassen/SooTodayWhen she first started, no one in the city was offering her type of specialty bra service.
“I do a lot for the larger breasted women. There’s a lot of F’s and G’s and it's hard to find (good bras for them) anywhere and if you do find one in a department store it won’t fit you properly or do anything for you,” said Robert.
She said a bra, properly fitted can make a woman feel and look so great, and even correct posture.
“It’s amazing wearing the right bra size lifts your spirits,” she said.
Robert said it would be great to make a commercial with the video image of her shop’s closed changing room doors while the sound of customers experiencing the newfound joys of a proper fitting brassiere
When they come out of the changing rooms Robert will often ask them ‘are you feeling fabulous?’ — obviously a nod to her shop name.
‘Oh I can’t believe it, I can’t wait to get back to work and wear this,’ exclaim customers as they pat their hands on their newly lifted and secured chests.
“Well, don’t you be doing that walking down Queen street,” she’ll joke back.
Robert said that bras usually should be replaced every six to eight months and she tells her customers, if they want to remember to change their bra, to do it when they go to the dentist.
So, when regulars come in for a new fitting they’ll say to her, ‘I just came from the dentist Jan.’
Those regulars are now sad to see a shop owner they love have to go.
Robert has received floods of well wishes and goodbye gifts.
“The flowers and the cards are just beautiful. I made a difference I think… I never thought I did. I did it for my passion and didn’t know how much my customers loved me for what I did to them until I announced I was closing,” she said.
For her last couple of months, Robert’s business has increased six-fold as her customers are stocking up as well as encouraging their friends to not miss out on her services while they still can.
Some customers are buying several years’ worth of bras and this week, instead of her regular 24 bra shipments, Robert received two shipments of 60 bras.
Jan Robert's protégé Kirstin Oakley, 22, has been working at Feelin' Fabulous since she was 14. Jeff Klassen/SooTodayBut it’s a sad time of course.
“It’s just emotional. We’re getting so close to the end and… it sucks,” said Kirstin Oakley, Robert’s 22-year old protégé and store manager who started working there when she was 14.
Oakley actually postponed finishing her college program in Toronto this year to stick around and help Robert in her last year.
“It’s sad and overwhelming,” said Oakley. “We just have so much fun working together… She’s a firecracker. Oh my god, if you knew Jan before all this she would just run up those stairs — and she’s so funny with her customers she just makes everyone feel so comfortable.”
Oakley said Robert has these ‘funny little sayings’.
“Like when we are trying to sell our leggings she says ’you have to hide the woo-hoo,” said Oakley. “Or women come in and say ‘I’m fat… what’s this?’ (pinching fat under the arm) and she’ll say ‘well, that’s just a fluffy’.”
July 29, next Saturday, is Feel’n Fabulous' last day.
Robert’s doctor has told her that she needs to rest and her plan is to spend time with family and loved ones.
As each of her customers comes in, Robert has been leaving the following message in their shopping bags:
I would like to thank everyone of my customers, family, and friends for your patronage and loyalty over the years. You have helped me climb my mountain. If I didn’t have all of you along my journey it wouldn’t have happened. Thank you again, enjoy life! — Jan