Welcome to the first edition of the Swimco Scoop, your monthly roundup of newsworthy stories and announcements straight from the Fit Experts’ desk.
This month’s top story—an inspiring new series with real anecdotes from the Swimco changerooms over the years. Remember to read till the end for updates on the #ShowYourSwimco giveaway and more information about an upcoming store location.
Introducing Changeroom Stories
Swimco began with humble roots in the basement of Corinne Forseth’s family home in the early seventies, selling swimwear to competitive swim clubs across western Canada. As business grew, she relocated to a bigger office space, eventually landing in Phillips Park, an office/warehouse complex near Chinook Centre in Calgary.
By 1980, her daughter Lori had joined the business, along with her dear friend Patti. With entrepreneurial drive, the three ladies worked all aspects of the swimwear business, whether it was taking orders from swim teams, working with suppliers, or making coffee to serve their walk-in customers.
In the early days, the space was part office, part warehouse, and part retail—with full parts hospitality and customer service. Customers were treated like friends, and swimwear fitting became a personal experience for both salespeople and customers.
Over the years, Swimco continued to grow, creating a culture centered on authentic customer service, often creating relationships for life. After serving thousands of customers over the years, our salespeople, known as Fit Experts, have experienced some incredible life stories in their one-on-one encounters with customers in the changerooms.
We’re honoured to share these stories over the upcoming months and celebrate the amazing community we’ve built together.
A Life-Changing Moment
A changeroom story from Patti, Fit Expert
“Recently, I was at the grocery store checkout when the woman in line behind me asked, out of the blue, if I used to work at Swimco. I, of course, acknowledge my long-term association with Swimco. We exchange pleasantries, then the woman blurts out her story.
Twenty years ago, she had twins and was very self-conscious of her body. She had gone to Swimco to find a swimsuit to cover herself up for a long-awaited beach vacation. I had suggested a bikini when she was in the store, and it changed her self-image. I helped her find the confidence to accept herself for who she was and get the swimsuit that allowed her to enjoy the vacation she was dreading. Twenty years later, she recognizes me at the Costco checkout, and thanks me for the impact on her life. Little does she know, that moment impacted my life as well.”
Patti Barr#ShowYourSwimco
Last month, we launched a giveaway to highlight our community of happy and confident swimwear lovers. We asked you to #ShowYourSwimco for the chance to win a $100 gift card, and we loved seeing the adventures you shared. We’re excited to announce the first winner of #ShowYourSwimco, @kindnessisachoice42! Congratulations and enjoy your prize!
Do you want to be the next lucky winner? Simply share a photo of you in your Swimco suit and tag us @swimco with the hashtag #ShowYourSwimco. Click here to learn more about the giveaway.
A New Location
Hey, Calgary! Have you heard? Swimco is moving from Westhills to Willow Park Village this October. If you’d like to stay updated, remember to sign up for the Cabana Club newsletter or follow us on Instagram and Facebook. We’d love to see you there in the fall.
Thank you for reading the first installment of the Swimco Scoop!
By treating it with care, you can extend its life so you can Feel Good Half Naked for many more seasons to come.