She needed a footstool to get on the chair so she could see over the cash counter. Tribal handicrafts and clothes were stacked and displayed floor to ceiling, so she had to use the ladder constantly. “This does not work for me,” said Rokie. And thus the idea for Snowflake was born.

October 14, 1979 was a beautiful fall day. The painters, carpenters and other workmen had finally left. The store was ready for opening. Located in the lower level (a fancy name for basement) of the Sundance Mall, the original Snowflake was truly a showcase. It featured hand rolled stained glass, arched display cases, and a u-shaped floating cash counter. It was only 400 square feet, but was merchandised like a full service store. In the early days Snowflake sold boots, shoes, hand painted long underwear, and clothing for men and children as well as women. As well the store carried a wide array of Canadian -made leathers, furs, sweaters, outerwear and accessories – for which Snowflake is now famous.

Rokie was and still is a visionary. She reasoned people coming from all over the world would not want to buy plastic Mounties - made in Japan. Her idea was to sell Canadian – and to promote new Canadian design talent. She sold the first ever Paula Lishman knitted furs (a story in itself), and supported companies like Lyn Leather, Norma and Jinx. Gabriel Levy, Annie Chouinard and Cheryl Straby were all young designers showcased at Snowflake. Over the years Rokie refined the concept of Snowflake. Men’s wear, children’s wear, shoes, jewelry, belts, panty hose and cloth coordinates were all dropped from the product mix. Snowflake as we know it today took shape.