One Shop, Two Childhood Dreams｜Vastgroves Founder Story

60・15・1 | One Little Shop, Two Childhood Dreams

Vastgroves | A Note from the Founder

Some dreams seem so attainable when we are young. We imagine that once we grow up, we will naturally find a way to make them come true. But as life unfolds, there are always other things that need our attention, and before we know it, our dreams are quietly set aside.

Today, I would like to share a story about dreams.

A story that revolves around three numbers.

60・15・1

Three seemingly ordinary numbers that capture the entire journey my wife and I took, from a simple idea to the creation of Vastgroves.

Two Childhood Dreams

Ever since I was a child, I have had two dreams: to become a teacher and to open a little shop of my own.

After graduating from university, I pursued a career in business consulting. For the next twenty years, work became the centre of my life, while those two childhood dreams remained quietly tucked away in my heart.

Then, last year, I happened to come across a job posting from my alma mater, looking for a part-time university lecturer. I decided to give it a try and submitted my application. To my surprise, I was offered the position.

Years later, I finally found myself standing in a classroom at my own university, fulfilling my first childhood dream.

But what about the second?

I had never forgotten it.

Living in Canada, I love spending my weekends driving to different places. Forests, lakes and winding trails are among my favourite sights.

And whenever I pass through a small town, I always enjoy stepping into the local shops.

Some are tiny, with simple interiors and modest displays, yet every corner reflects the owner's thoughtfulness. From the products on the shelves and the scents that fill the space to the way little objects are arranged, each detail reveals something about the owner's perspective on life.

Sometimes, even without buying anything, simply wandering into one of these shops is a pleasure in itself.

Gradually, I realised that what I loved was not just the products they sold, but the way of life each shop owner wanted to share with others.

Then, one day, a thought crossed my mind:

What if I could open a little shop in Hong Kong and bring back some of the wonderful things I had discovered in Canada? What would that be like?

And so, my wife and I began seriously thinking about how we could turn this long-held dream into reality.

A Little Tenderness, Just for Yourself

As we began developing the idea for Vastgroves, I spoke with many friends in Hong Kong.

They came from different professions, family backgrounds and lifestyles, yet they all seemed to share one thing in common: they were busy.

At work, they strive to perform well, meet clients' expectations and look after their teams.

At home, there are family members to care for and countless everyday responsibilities to manage.

This is especially true for many professional women. They are accustomed to caring for others and setting high expectations for themselves. By the end of the day, they have attended to everyone else's needs, while their own feelings are often left until last.

It made me wonder:

We spend so much of our time trying to be good employees, good partners and good parents. But how much time do we set aside simply for ourselves?

A Realisation in the Shower

Eventually, my thoughts turned to something as ordinary as taking a shower.

Close the bathroom door, and for a moment, leave behind work, family responsibilities and the expectations of the outside world.

For those fifteen or twenty minutes, we do not have to play any particular role or meet anyone else's demands.

It is just us, spending time with our truest selves.

I wanted this little part of our daily routine to become more than simply washing our bodies. I wanted it to be a moment we could genuinely look forward to.

To surround ourselves with a fragrance we love and let our skin experience gentle, thoughtful care. After a shower, to take the time to apply body lotion and enjoy that comforting feeling that belongs entirely to us.

Taking good care of ourselves does not necessarily require a holiday or a special occasion.

Sometimes, it simply means being willing to give ourselves a little extra care on an ordinary day.

This idea gradually became the starting point of Vastgroves.

60・15・1 | From Sixty Brands to One

Once we decided to open a little shop specialising in personal care products, the next question was:

What products should we bring to our customers in Hong Kong?

I began searching online for Canadian personal care brands, exploring their stories, products, positioning and philosophies.

Our initial list contained sixty brands. Each had its own character and something that made it appealing.

But we knew that just because we liked something did not necessarily mean our customers in Hong Kong would feel the same way.

So we carefully reviewed each brand's products, fragrances, packaging, pricing and shipping arrangements. We also sought opinions from our female friends in Hong Kong.

After the first round of screening, our list of sixty brands was narrowed down to fifteen.

Then came the truly interesting part.

We purchased products from all fifteen brands at our own expense and began testing them one by one.

For the next two months, our family bathroom practically turned into a little product research laboratory.

Every day, we tried different body washes in the shower, followed by all kinds of body lotions afterwards.

We paid attention to each product's fragrance, texture, how it felt during use and the condition of our skin afterwards.

Some products made a wonderful first impression, only for us to discover after a few more uses that they were not necessarily suitable for everyday use.

Some fragrances smelled appealing at first, but the experience of actually using them on the skin was quite different.

Others did not leave much of an impression initially, yet somehow became more enjoyable with repeated use.

Whenever we had doubts, we tested again. If we felt we had not tested something thoroughly enough, we simply bought more and continued.

My wife and I held countless little family meetings, discussing our experiences over and over again. Occasionally, our different preferences even sparked a few debates.

After all, we wanted to offer our customers more than products that simply made a wonderful first impression. We wanted to find products that, after becoming part of our daily routines, we would still happily keep in our bathrooms.

Two months later, we finally made our decision.

60 brands initially researched

15 brands thoroughly tested

1 brand ultimately selected

Soapstones Natural Skincare

A natural personal care brand from Muskoka, Canada, and the first brand we chose to bring to our customers in Hong Kong.

Looking back, 60・15・1 represents far more than a product selection process.

It captures two months of testing, conversations and decisions shared by our family. It also reflects the very first commitment we made to our little shop.

Because every product we place on the shelves of Vastgroves is something we hope to genuinely love ourselves before sharing it with others.

From Our Bathroom to Everyday Life in Hong Kong

In August 2026, Vastgroves finally began its soft launch.

An idea that first emerged during a weekend drive in Canada had finally become a real little shop.

But for us, selecting the products was never the end of the journey.

We wanted to understand how these products, which had been part of our family's daily routine for two months, would make people in Hong Kong feel when they became part of their lives.

During our soft launch, we therefore invited a number of female friends in Hong Kong to try Soapstones Natural Skincare for themselves and share their thoughts on the fragrances, textures and overall experience.

When their feedback began arriving, and we discovered that some of the things we loved were also appreciated by others, the joy was difficult to put into words.

"The White Tea & Ginger body wash has a lovely fragrance with just a hint of ginger. It is comfortable and pleasant, neither too sweet nor too strong. After showering, a delicate white tea scent lingers, leaving me feeling very relaxed. The Elements body lotion has a fresh, herbal fragrance. Its texture spreads easily and absorbs well without feeling sticky, making it suitable for Hong Kong's climate."

"This body lotion is refreshing and absorbs almost immediately. My skin feels instantly hydrated, smooth and soft."

"Received the products. They are great with a good smell!"

To us, these comments were more than just product reviews.

They reassured us that a little idea born out of our own everyday experiences could genuinely become part of someone else's daily life.

One Little Shop, One Heartfelt Intention

From a childhood dream to sixty brands, fifteen different trials and finally our first selected brand, Vastgroves was born.

We are not here to suggest that life must always be sophisticated or beautifully curated.

Quite the opposite.

We believe that some of life's most wonderful moments are hidden in the little things we have long taken for granted.

A warm shower after work.

A moment on a weekend morning when sunlight streams into the room.

Those few minutes after a shower, when we take the time to gently apply body lotion.

These moments may be brief, but they truly belong to us.

My hope is that Vastgroves will become more than just a little shop selling Canadian personal care products. I hope it can also serve as a gentle reminder:

While we work so hard to care for others, let us not forget that we, too, deserve to be well cared for.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story.

And I hope that one day, the products we have carefully selected will accompany you through a beautiful little moment of your own.

Vincent

Founder, Vastgroves