Inger Sparring emigrated from Sweden to Canada with her three children and a distinctly European eye for fashion. She brought with her a belief that shopping should feel personal - that a store should know its customers and love what it sells.

The first Fancy That opened in Brockville, Ontario - a European-inspired boutique that sold not only fashions but, in true entrepreneurial style, the antique fixtures used to display them. The public couldn't get enough of Inger's eye for style. What started as one store grew, over the years, into nine locations across Eastern Ontario.

Inger moved to Kingston and opened Fancy That in the Frontanac Mall. It quickly become a local style destination and continued until 1998.

Maria, Inger's daughter, joined the business in 1985 and moved Fancy That to its permanent home at 48 Princess Street in downtown Kingston. She expanded the offering beyond footwear to include women's clothing, bringing a new depth to what the stores could offer. Downtown Kingston was becoming something special - busier, more vibrant - and Fancy That was growing with it.

In 1991, The Roundstone opened at the Frontenac Mall - a more classic, elevated companion to Fancy That's trend-forward energy. It quickly became known for its casual, classic, and mature style - European-inspired, of course. In 1996, The Roundstone moved downtown to 50 Princess Street, right next door to Fancy That. Two stores. One family. Side by side for the first time.

Amanda and Alix grew up in the stores - first as babies, eventually as employees. Both were drawn back to the business during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the timing turned out to be the best thing for everyone. Amanda now runs Fancy That, spearheads the creative direction, and launched the online store. Alix manages the operations and finances with an MBA from RMC and a quiet precision that keeps everything moving. Maria remains the visionary, the buyer, and the heart of The Roundstone. Together, the three women have built something rare: a family business that genuinely got better with each generation.

In 2024, Fancy That & The Roundstone celebrated 50 years in business - something only a fraction of independent retailers ever achieve. They marked the anniversary the way they do most things: with warmth, a little fanfare, and loyal customers who've been shopping here for decades. Their community of customers includes people who first came in with their mothers and now bring their own daughters.

The Roundstone | Founder's Daughter | Visionary

Maria has been shaping this business since 1985 - and the business has been shaping downtown Kingston ever since. She runs The Roundstone, manages relationships with the brands they carry, and has an instinct for what women want to wear that comes from forty years of paying very close attention. She's also the reason the whole thing still works.

Fancy That | Creative Director | Style-Maker

Amanda runs Fancy That with the same energy she brings to everything - curious, warm, and genuinely excited about what she puts on the racks. She launched the online store, drives the brand's social presence, and has an eye for the kind of pieces you reach for again and again. Her style is the store's style: comfortable, considered, and always worth it.

Operations & Finance | MBA | Behind the Magic

Alix is the reason everything runs as smoothly as it looks. With an MBA from RMC and a background in operations, she handles the side of the business that makes the creative side possible - finances, admin, and the kind of steady, smart decision-making that keeps a 50-year-old institution growing. She returned to the business during the pandemic and brought a clarity to the operation that the team didn't know they were missing.