"When I first came to Canada I found more; with Micro Boutique Living I found a better less." Chris Galea, Owner
Micro Boutique Living was born out of a lifelong desire by our founder and owner to ‘live better with less’. Our buildings were designed with this principle in mind; creating compact but beautiful, modern spaces that are highly livable and fun to be in. We want our Micro Suites to mix exceptional functionality with superior quality and design, and yet be compact enough to be affordable to our tenants and hotel guests. Moreover, locating our buildings in the heart of the city allows them to enjoy the excitement and vibrancy of downtown as part of their new lifestyle without needing a car.
This combination of compact spaces, created with superior design, quality and functionality, added to a superb, downtown location and all supported by advanced technology allows for the emergence of a whole new and unique lifestyle - the Micro Boutique way! Our guests and tenants can now stay and play affordably in beautiful, hip, high-design spaces within walking distance of everything they need.
Our first prototype Micro Suites were built in the summer of 2011 in Antigonish, a beautiful university town in northeastern Nova Scotia. The response was immediate and positive - all our suites leased out in a week! Due to this quick success, we then built a new 30 unit addition. Again, these suites were leased well in advance of our September 2012 opening.
< READ MORE >By August 2014 we had expanded Micro Boutique Living to Wolfville, Nova Scotia, with the opening of a new 60 unit building. Again, all our lofts were leased six months before our opening date. As we expanded the business, we also created a model to allow shorter academic-year leases for students, switching to fully stocked hotel suites in the summer months for our guests to enjoy. The technology we built into our buildings allows us to run the hotels with a Virtual Front Desk™, yet provide full amenities to our guests on a daily basis.
Following the positive response that we have seen with Micro Boutique Living so far, we are evaluating development options in other locations across North America. Stay tuned!
Micro Living - A New Way of Life Emerges
As I moved through life thinking about how people use the spaces they have, I came to realize that although space is important, it’s what you do with it that truly matters. And thus began my pursuit for less - and a better less at that. The first Micro Boutique Lofts were designed with this principle in mind; creating compact but beautiful, modern spaces that were highly livable and fun to be in. I wanted our Micro Lofts to mix exceptional functionality with superior quality and design, and yet be compact enough to be affordable to our tenants and overnight guests. Moreover, I made sure to locate our building in the heart of the city - in this way our tenants and guests could enjoy the excitement and vibrancy of downtown as part of their new lifestyle without needing a car.
< READ MORE >This combination of compact spaces, combined with superior design, quality and functionality, added to a superb, downtown location and all supported by advanced technology allows for the emergence of a whole new and unique lifestyle - the Micro Boutique way! Our guests and tenants can now stay and play affordably in beautiful, hip, high-design spaces within walking distance of everything they need.
From Micro Concept to Big Reality
Our first prototype Micro Lofts were built in the summer of 2011 in Antigonish, a beautiful university town in northeastern Nova Scotia. The response was immediate and very positive - all our suites leased out in a week! Due to this quick success we then built a new 30 unit addition. These suites were leased out six months before we opened in September 2012.
By August 2014 we had expanded Micro Boutique Living to Wolfville, Nova Scotia, with the opening of a new 60 unit building. Again, all our lofts were leased out 6 months before our opening date.
< READ MORE >Following the positive response that we have seen with Micro Boutique Living so far, we have now started construction on a new development in Charlottetown, PEI. We are also evaluating other development options in other locations across Canada. Stay tuned!
Moreover, my (now!) lovely wife Alyson has joined the company full-time and is overseeing all day-to-day operations of Micro Boutique Living. As we expand we are building a very capable and enthusiastic team to help us get there!
Chris and Alyson
Owners
Sales & Administration Manager
Rhyanna brings exceptional customer service, strong organizational skills and a “can do” approach to Micro Boutique Living. Her positive attitude and friendly, yet professional, approach will leave you with a smile - even when dealing with tough situations.
< READ MORE >Rhyanna has worked for the Owners for over 10 years, starting out as a part time employee with one of their businesses, South Side Vacations, along with her full time employment as an Early Childhood educator. Rhyanna finds it very satisfying working at Micro Boutique Living, knowing that she is helping to provide an exciting living space that our customers can truly enjoy. She also likes the positive and supportive team with whom she works.
When Rhyanna is not on the phone or behind her laptop, she enjoys spending time outdoors: running, hiking and/or at the beach with a good book.
If you have a question or concern regarding sales and/or customer service, please contact Rhyanna directly.
Accounting
Victoria is an integral part of the Micro Boutique Living team for without her, none of us would be paid! She's worked in accounting for 13 years and with the Micro Boutique Living team for over five years.
< READ MORE >When she's not crunching numbers or processing payroll, her days happily revolve around her two small children. Like most of our team, she's also quite happy travelling, reading, hiking, and keeping active.
Planning and New Development
Sean heads up the planning and project conceptualization/implementation arm of Micro Boutique Living. Prior to moving into the private realm, Sean enjoyed over 20 years in Municipal Government playing a wide variety of roles including: Planning Technician / Development Officer, Heritage Officer, Building Inspector, Senior Planner and, finally, Department Head.
< READ MORE >With an educational background in engineering, architecture and urban planning, together with his experience on the development side of municipal government and a new focus on placemaking, Sean brings a creative, holistic and yet pragmatic perspective to any project he tackles.
Sean is committed to making desirable, vibrant places of medium to high density in walkable neighbourhoods as he feels that not only does this enhance community, but it also leads to a sustainable, healthy lifestyle.
As a side enterprise through his years in government, Sean designed a range of vernacular, residential and mixed use buildings.
During off-times, when not traveling, hiking or sailing with his family, Sean runs a small, non-profit sail and paddle club on the warm waters of Nova Scotia’s north shore..
Buildings & Operations Manager
Chad is a ‘big picture thinker’ with exceptional problem solving and leadership skills. He also takes great pride in a job well done.
< READ MORE >These skills and attitude make him outstanding as the Buildings & Operations Manager for Micro Boutique Living. Chad, who has a degree in Computer Science from Acadia University, joined the Micro Boutique Living team in 2014. His impressive skills and great ‘get-it-done’ attitude were quickly noticed by the Owners and he was equally quickly promoted to the key management team. Chad enjoys working with Micro Boutique guests and clients. He finds the growth of the company to be rewarding and exciting.
When Chad is not problem solving or figuring out how to make our operations work better, he enjoys spending time with his family and volunteering at the Wolfville Fire Department where he serves his community as a Captain.
If you have a question or concern regarding the operation of the building, please contact Chad directly.
General Maintenance - Wolfville
You may not always catch a glimpse of David, but you will see his stellar work throughout Micro Boutique Living. As our maintenance “go-to” team member, David goes above and beyond to ensure that our guests have the best possible space to enjoy. His pride in his work shows in every repair and his problem solving skills are a valuable tool to our team.
< READ MORE >David, who was an automotive mechanic for 25 years and ran a repair shop for a number of years, joined the Micro Boutique Living team in 2015 where his impressive skills and quiet leadership were quickly noticed. David enjoys the diverse tasks that keep his job interesting. He also enjoys talking to the tenants and hearing about how they are doing in school and what brought them to Wolfville.
When David is not problem solving or figuring out how to make our buildings work better, he enjoys projects at home or at friends’ homes. He also enjoys attending sporting events with his grandchildren and taking them camping.
Property/Hotel Supervisor - Wolfville
Linda joined the Micro Boutique Living team in 2014, where her attention to detail and her ‘stay-on-top-of-things’ attitude made her the perfect choice for our Wolfville Property/Hotel Supervisor. Linda loves meeting new people, talking with Micro Boutique Living tenants and guests and hearing about where they have come from.
< READ MORE >Her previous experience with running an in-home daycare for 20+ years, as well as her work as the manager of a local convenience store, makes her a great asset to our team. She is dependable, customer-service focused and enthusiastic.
When Linda is not working to ensure that our customers are 100% satisfied with their accommodation, answering her phone or showing a potential tenant a new suite, she enjoys enjoys quilting and sewing. Her grandchildren are everything to her and she spends time with them camping and attending sports events.
Property Supervisor & General Maintenance - Antigonish
Paul brings to Micro Boutique Living over 25 years of experience in building construction and maintenance. His knowledge, attention to detail and the pride he takes in his work keeps our micro suites in top condition and supports our customer focused approach.
< READ MORE >He enjoys the friendly and welcoming atmosphere at Micro Boutique Living with its supportive staff and owners, making it enjoyable to come to work each day.
Paul's positive attitude and great work ethic saw his promotion to Property Supervisor in 2019. His focus on keeping our customers' needs in the forefront is integral to our business.
When Paul is not working to make our buildings great, he can be found outdoors, coaching hockey, remodelling his lakefront cabin or spending time with his family.
Chris Galea
Chris Galea is the entrepreneurial Founder and President of Micro Boutique Living. He developed the concept of living in small but high design, high efficiency spaces in the course of visiting over 50 countries and during many hours spent on his 30ft sailboat.
Chris was a professor of Business Administration for over 25 years and taught in universities across Canada. His focus was on sustainable development and has published a number of books on the subject. In 2013 he resigned his tenured position to focus exclusively on Micro Boutique Living.
Prior to his academic career Chris had started a number of entrepreneurial ventures ranging from the food and catering world to the tourism and hospitality industry.
In addition to living and breathing ‘All Things Micro’ Chris is also a husband to Alyson Roberts, father to Martha and Norah, an avid reader and active outdoors person. He loves being on or near the ocean, tackling any hiking trail, playing winter beach volleyball and peddling fun, two-wheeled vehicles.
Alyson Roberts
Alyson is the ‘get-it-done’ CEO and Owner of Micro Boutique Living overseeing the management of all day-to-day operations. She brings exceptional leadership, organizational, human resource and marketing skills to the Micro Boutique Living team. Alyson joined Micro Boutique Living in 2014 after a successful career as the co-owner of Portland Physiotherapy Health & Wellness Centre, a private interdisciplinary rehabilitation clinic in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
Alyson completed her Bachelor of Commerce degree at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax and then worked for four years in marketing and sales. She returned to university for a Degree in Occupational Therapy after which she started working in the field as a Project & Disability Manager for a regional network of clinics. In 2001 she joined Portland Physiotherapy and became co-owner in 2008.
Alyson has been involved with many organizations. Most recently she served as the Chair of the Downtown Dartmouth Business Commission and was the driving force in their major rebranding campaign.
When Alyson is not working with the Micro Boutique Living team she can be found outdoors hiking or cycling with her husband Chris. In addition Alyson loves yoga, squash, golfing and walks with her beagle dog Georgette. She also enjoys travelling and spending time with friends, family and people that inspire her to be a better person.
Sales & Administration Manager
Rhyanna brings exceptional customer service, strong organizational skills and a “can do” approach to Micro Boutique Living. Her positive attitude and friendly, yet professional, approach will leave you with a smile - even when dealing with tough situations.
< READ MORE >Rhyanna has worked for the Owners for over 10 years, starting out as a part time employee with one of their businesses, South Side Vacations, along with her full time employment as an Early Childhood educator. Rhyanna finds it very satisfying working at Micro Boutique Living, knowing that she is helping to provide an exciting living space that our customers can truly enjoy. She also likes the positive and supportive team with whom she works.
When Rhyanna is not on the phone or behind her laptop, she enjoys spending time outdoors: running, hiking and/or at the beach with a good book.
If you have a question or concern regarding sales and/or customer service, please contact Rhyanna directly.
Buildings & Operations Manager
Chad is a ‘big picture thinker’ with exceptional problem solving and leadership skills. He also takes great pride in a job well done.
< READ MORE >These skills and attitude make him outstanding as the Buildings & Operations Manager for Micro Boutique Living. Chad, who has a degree in Computer Science from Acadia University, joined the Micro Boutique Living team in 2014. His impressive skills and great ‘get-it-done’ attitude were quickly noticed by the Owners and he was equally quickly promoted to the key management team. Chad enjoys working with Micro Boutique guests and clients. He finds the growth of the company to be rewarding and exciting.
When Chad is not problem solving or figuring out how to make our operations work better, he enjoys spending time with his family and volunteering at the Wolfville Fire Department where he serves his community as a Captain.
If you have a question or concern regarding the operation of the building, please contact Chad directly.
Property/Hotel Supervisor - Wolfville
Linda joined the Micro Boutique Living team in 2014, where her attention to detail and her ‘stay-on-top-of-things’ attitude made her the perfect choice for our Wolfville Property/Hotel Supervisor. Linda loves meeting new people, talking with Micro Boutique Living tenants and guests and hearing about where they have come from.
< READ MORE >Her previous experience with running an in-home daycare for 20+ years, as well as her work as the manager of a local convenience store, makes her a great asset to our team. She is dependable, customer-service focused and enthusiastic.
When Linda is not working to ensure that our customers are 100% satisfied with their accommodation, answering her phone or showing a potential tenant a new suite, she enjoys enjoys quilting and sewing. Her grandchildren are everything to her and she spends time with them camping and attending sports events.
General Maintenance - Wolfville
You may not always catch a glimpse of David, but you will see his stellar work throughout Micro Boutique Living. As our maintenance “go-to” team member, David goes above and beyond to ensure that our guests have the best possible space to enjoy. His pride in his work shows in every repair and his problem solving skills are a valuable tool to our team.
< READ MORE >David, who was an automotive mechanic for 25 years and ran a repair shop for a number of years, joined the Micro Boutique Living team in 2015 where his impressive skills and quiet leadership were quickly noticed. David enjoys the diverse tasks that keep his job interesting. He also enjoys talking to the tenants and hearing about how they are doing in school and what brought them to Wolfville.
When David is not problem solving or figuring out how to make our buildings work better, he enjoys projects at home or at friends’ homes. He also enjoys attending sporting events with his grandchildren and taking them camping.
Property Supervisor & General Maintenance - Antigonish
Paul brings to Micro Boutique Living over 25 years of experience in building construction and maintenance. His knowledge, attention to detail and the pride he takes in his work keeps our micro suites in top condition and supports our customer focused approach.
< READ MORE >He enjoys the friendly and welcoming atmosphere at Micro Boutique Living with its supportive staff and owners, making it enjoyable to come to work each day.
Paul's positive attitude and great work ethic saw his promotion to Property Supervisor in 2019. His focus on keeping our customers' needs in the forefront is integral to our business.
When Paul is not working to make our buildings great, he can be found outdoors, coaching hockey, remodelling his lakefront cabin or spending time with his family.
Accounting
Victoria is an integral part of the Micro Boutique Living team for without her, none of us would be paid! She's worked in accounting for 13 years and with the Micro Boutique Living team for over five years.
< READ MORE >When she's not crunching numbers or processing payroll, her days happily revolve around her two small children. Like most of our team, she's also quite happy travelling, reading, hiking, and keeping active.
