Press Releases

Iconic Vancouver business gains new insight on CBC Show
The family business, The Flag Shop, chosen to be featured on season finale of The Big Decision

Vancouver, BC—For over 35 years, The Flag Shop has endured as a part of the Vancouver landscape - first as a welcoming presence on 4th Avenue in Kitsilano and now as part of East Vancouver's industrial area. Passed from its founder Doreen Braverman to her daughter Susan Braverman in 2006, The Flag Shop has quickly dominated the industry, introducing new equipment and techniques along the way and expanding to 12 locations across Canada.

The Vancouver success story is now taking another step forward as it's one of two local businesses featured on the season finale of CBC's The Big Decision, airing Tuesday, November 27th at 9pm.

Susan Braverman, President of The Flag Shop, says being picked to appear on the hit show has been invaluable in the continued growth of the company and already, as a direct result, the business has secured some new major clientele.

“While we have been expanding the business on our own, The Big Decision helped us tap a new market we had not yet begun to explore.”

Over the years, The Flag Shop has outfitted major events like Expo'86 and the Vancouver 2010 Olympics as well as manufacturing the everyday flags and street banners across the city. It helped found the street banner program in Vancouver in the nineties, put its own proprietary 100% recycled fabric Echotex® on the market in 2008, and has given back to the community in countless ways.

Under Susan's initiative, the business changed its focus from the retail flag industry to manufacturing the best quality soft signage in Canada and beyond – while still selling flags on the side, of course.

A new chapter began recently, when The Flag Shop was slotted in at the last minute to participate in CBC's The Big Decision where Dragons' Den investors Jim Treliving and Arlene Dickinson personally come to businesses in need of help or expansion and decide whether or not to invest in them. Arlene visited The Flag Shop to see what investment opportunities it has.

During filming, Susan and her employees were initially given three challenges to complete in under a week with a fourth challenge being thrown in at the last minute. Completing these under such a tight deadline was a challenge that required the cooperation and extra work from the entire staff.

Even if The Flag Shop does not receive a windfall in the form of investment money, the experience has still been invaluable in the continued growth of the company.

“If nothing else, we have the renewed vigour and confidence that we can do anything, even if it's ultimately on our own,” says Braverman. “I always knew I had an amazing staff, but they really rose to the challenge when things got tough.”

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact Katharine Kitts at 604.786.3369

For more information about The Flag Shop, please visit www.flagshop.com.

Susan Braverman, President of The Flag Shop:

In 1975 amidst light ribbing and eye rolling from her peers, Doreen Braverman first opened the doors to The Flag Shop then called Atlas Flag Manufacturing. Her daughter, Susan Braverman was six at the time and quite disappointed that her mother was not selling something more relevant to her young interests like candy. Thirty-five years later, she is over that initial disappointment. After growing up in the business - she worked in the store as a teenager and then later became the general manager in the 1990s – she spent time as a French teacher only to return a final time in 2006 to help after seeing the business she had watched grow along beside her was on the verge of being swept away by changing technologies and markets.

The Flag Shop:

Founded in 1975 in Vancouver, Canada, The Flag Shop was the first specialty flag shop of its kind. One hundred percent Canadian owned with headquarters in Vancouver, British Columbia, The Flag Shop currently has twelve locations from coast to coast across Canada. Founded by Doreen Braverman, the business has remained in the family with her daughter Susan Braverman officially buying the company in 2010. After switching its focus from being just the first exclusive flag retailer to becoming the premier banner manufacturer in Canada, The Flag Shop made big investments in state-of-the-art printing technology. The new DuPont Artistri printer paired with Echotex® and other top quality fabrics has shot The Flag Shop to the top of its market by continually producing beautiful banners, flags, and other soft signage for any occasion. With over 35 years in the business, The Flag Shop considers itself the most sustainably-conscious flag and banner manufacturer in Canada and possibly North America.

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CONTACT: Katharine Kitts
BongoJack Media Ltd.
Email: kath@bongojackmedia.com
Office: 604.786.3369