Dream Weaver History
Dream Weaver will celebrate its 32nd year in Business this November 2025.
Founder Lee Anne Frederickson launched Dream Weaver on November 12, 1993, in Brockville, at the age of 25.
The first location was a cozy second-floor space inside Craig's Gift Store at 30 King Street West.
A year later, Dream Weaver re-located to its first main-street storefront at 106 King St. West, marking the beginning of a long and beautiful journey in Canadian retail.
In 1998, Lee Anne welcomed her first child, Rachael, and featured the nine-month-old in a basket for Dream Weaver’s fifth-anniversary advertising campaign.
In 2001, Lee Anne welcomed her second daughter, Elisabeth. That same year, Dream Weaver relocated to 95 King Street West — fondly known as the “Groovy Girl Store,” thanks to its complete Groovy Girl Collection and an irresistible wall of bulk Jelly Belly jelly bean flavours.
In 2002, Dream Weaver received the Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Award, and Lee Anne was honoured with the Young Entrepreneur Award.
In 2006, Lee Anne purchased the former Laurentian Bank building at 20 King Street West and transformed it into a stunning 3,000 sq. ft. Dream Weaver flagship store.
Dream Weaver Staff – 2008
Top: Lee Anne Frederickson and Claudette Williams
Bottom: Maddie Palmer, Jessica Loomis, Natasha White, April Fraser and Darragh DeGroot
In 2011, Dream Weaver updated its colours from burgundy and gold to purple and white. Although the sign appeared a rich purple by day, once illuminated at night it glowed a soft pink — an unexpected twist that became part of the store’s charm.
November 9, 2011
Friends and Family of Dream Weaver – 2011
In case you’re wondering, we were all wearing fascinators — a trend inspired by Kate Middleton and her friends at the time of the Royal Wedding.
(Photo: Dorothy, Claudia, Louise, Lee Anne, Diane Darling-Wright. Front row: Michaela, Elisabeth, and Rachael.)
In 2012, Lee Anne expanded Dream Weaver to Ottawa, opening a new boutique on Richmond Road in the heart of Westboro.
In January 2013, she closed the Brockville location following the sale of the building — marking both the end of an era and the beginning of a new chapter for Dream Weaver.
Lee Anne’s teenage daughters often helped with Dream Weaver, especially during special events and seasonal celebrations.
(Photo: Rachael, Lee Anne, Elisabeth, and staff member Taylor in front of the Westboro boutique during a summer sidewalk sale.)
On November 1, 2014, Lee Anne opened a pop-up Christmas boutique in the former Wingfield’s Jewellery building at 62 King Street West in Brockville. The historic space — built in the late 1860s — featured its original curved-glass windows and exquisite wood cabinetry, creating an atmosphere of timeless beauty despite its small size.
MP Gord Brown joined us to celebrate the grand opening of our 2014 pop-up location.
(Photo: Lee Anne Frederickson with MPP Gord Brown inside the beautifully restored 1860s Wingfield’s Jewellery building, showcasing its original wood cabinetry and architectural detailing.)
Staff and Family – 2014
(Michaela, Rachael, Sue, Louise, Lee Anne and April, gathered inside the store beneath the magnificent woodwork and the handcrafted sliding wall that once enclosed the display window.)
In 2015, I opened what was meant to be a Christmas pop-up at the Bayshore Shopping Centre in Ottawa — just for the season. But customers loved it so much that it stayed, moving around the mall from one space to another until March 2020, when the pandemic brought everything to a sudden stop.
That opening night was one of the highlights of my life. I hosted a grand-opening celebration featuring The Lee Anne Frederickson Jazz Quartet — JP Allain on keys, Normand Glaude on bass, Tom Dennison on drums, and me on vocals. We performed vintage jazz all evening while guests shopped, sipped, and mingled. It felt like everything I loved — music, community, and the spirit of Dream Weaver — all in one night.
Bayshore, First Floor — 2015–2016 (approximately 1,000 sq. ft.)
Dream Weaver – Bayshore 3rd Floor (2016–2017)
In 2016, Dream Weaver was relocated to the third floor of Bayshore Shopping Centre. At first, I wasn’t thrilled about the move — but as it turned out, it was one of our most successful locations. We were right beside Crabtree & Evelyn, which was a perfect fit for our clientele and aesthetic.
When Crabtree eventually closed, I was fortunate to hire one of their longtime team members, Kathy, who became an invaluable part of the Dream Weaver family. Her warmth, professionalism, and passion for our products made that chapter of the store especially memorable.
Bayshore, Third Floor — 2016–2017 (approximately 1,000 sq. ft.)
💛 Dream Weaver – Bayshore 2nd Floor (2018–2019)
In 2018, Dream Weaver made its biggest move yet — into a stunning 2,500 sq. ft. space on the second floor of Bayshore, right next to the food court. The location had once been home to Desigual, and with its huge front windows and steady stream of shoppers, it became one of our most successful and beautifully designed stores.
My eldest daughter, Rachael, worked with me during the summers while studying at McGill University. She helped plan the store layout, curate product lines, and bring a fresh, modern energy to the Dream Weaver brand. I truly couldn’t have done it without her. Those months working side by side were some of my favourite memories — a blend of hard work, laughter, and shared pride in what we built together.
Bayshore, Second Floor — 2018–2019 (approximately 2,500 sq. ft.)
💛 Dream Weaver – Rideau Centre Era (2017–2019)
In June 2017, I opened a 3,500 sq. ft. Dream Weaver boutique on the third floor of the Rideau Centre in downtown Ottawa. It was our largest and most ambitious store yet — elegant, modern, and alive with the energy of the city.
The space featured two massive front windows that became my creative playground. I designed elaborate, ever-changing displays that told visual stories — from Canadian winterscapes to romantic Parisian vignettes. Those displays became a signature of the store, earning Dream Weaver the Rideau Downtown Business Association Award for Window Displays.
That store represented the very best of what Dream Weaver had become — art, design, storytelling, and heart, all brought together under one roof.
Rideau Centre, Third Floor — 2017 to 2019 (approximately 3,500 sq. ft.)
💛 Dream Weaver – Carlingwood Mall (2018–2020)
In 2018, I opened a third Dream Weaver location at Carlingwood Mall in Ottawa. It was an exciting time — the brand was thriving, and for the first time, Dream Weaver had three locations running simultaneously: Rideau Centre, Bayshore, and Carlingwood.
I was managing a team of 18 incredible young women — mostly millennials — whose creativity, humour, and dedication made every day vibrant and inspiring. It was an exhilarating chapter of growth and momentum, fuelled by passion and possibility.
Looking back, it was also a chapter of intensity. I was commuting two to four hours a day between Brockville and Ottawa, juggling inventory, staffing, and displays across three busy stores. I didn’t see it at the time, but that pace — while thrilling — was also quietly taking its toll.
Carlingwood Mall — 2018 to 2020 (approximately 1,500 sq. ft.)
💛 25th Anniversary Milestone (2018)
2018 marked Dream Weaver’s 25th Anniversary — a quarter-century of creativity, community, and Canadian craftsmanship. To celebrate, we were visited by Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, who presented us with an official plaque commemorating the milestone.
It was a truly special moment — one that recognized not only the business itself, but the dedication, artistry, and love that had gone into every year of Dream Weaver’s journey.
💼 The Expansion Years (2019)
In 2019, Dream Weaver expanded once again — moving into a larger 3,000 sq. ft. space at Carlingwood Mall while also relocating our Bayshore boutique to the 3rd floor. It was an incredible undertaking that tested every ounce of energy, creativity, and resilience I had.
Around that same time, our Rideau Centre location was reclaimed by Aritzia, one of Canada’s biggest fashion chains. I had known this might happen — small independent retailers like me are often offered temporary leases in large shopping centres. It’s a wonderful opportunity to gain exposure in prime locations, but it comes with the constant risk of being moved when a major brand signs on.
Between Rideau, Bayshore, and Carlingwood, Dream Weaver was often in motion — quite literally. Over just three years, I moved stores nine times, sometimes with only 30 days’ notice. Every move meant packing thousands of products, managing freight elevators, loading docks, and U-Hauls — most of it done by hand.
It was exhausting and exhilarating all at once — the kind of challenge that only passion can sustain.
Carlingwood Mall 3rd store. 3000 sq. ft.
Bayshore Shopping Centre 3rd Floor store 2019. 1000 sq. ft.
🌿 The Turning Point — From Brick & Mortar to E-Commerce (2020 – Present)
When the pandemic hit in March 2020, Dream Weaver’s retail stores were forced to close — but something remarkable happened. My online business took off. Orders poured in from customers across Canada who wanted comfort, beauty, and meaning in their homes during uncertain times.
While the malls sat dark, I was back in motion — renting U-Haul trucks at night, driving to my closed stores, and loading inventory myself to fill online orders. It was exhausting but exhilarating. On my second late-night trip, I had a sudden realization: Why am I doing all the work of retail when e-commerce is thriving — and I can do it from home?
That was my lightbulb moment. I wasn’t closing because I had to — I was closing because I had finally seen a better way.
The world was changing, and so was Dream Weaver. Within months, I shifted entirely online, freeing myself from the endless grind of mall leases and freight elevators. For the first time in decades, I had space — to think, to create, and to live.
My daughters were thriving — Rachael graduated from McGill University, and Elisabeth began her studies at the University of Toronto — and I found my own peace again, surrounded by my two kittens, Trygvi and Ragnar.
Dream Weaver continues to grow online, built on the same heart and integrity it always had — just now, with a little more freedom.
Life is good.
✨ The Next Chapter (2025 and Beyond)
For the past five years, I’ve continued to run Dream Weaver as a thriving online business — a space that carries forward everything the brand has always stood for: beauty, integrity, and care in every detail.
What began in 1993 as a dream in a small upstairs shop has grown, evolved, and adapted through every challenge imaginable. From brick-and-mortar stores to bustling e-commerce, Dream Weaver has been a reflection of my heart, my creativity, and my belief that good business should also do good in the world.
I’ll always be proud of what Dream Weaver has become — and deeply grateful for every customer, employee, and friend who helped weave its story.
Here’s to the next chapter — for Dream Weaver, and for me.