ANTOINETTE Cannonier jokingly recalls her husband Craig telling her she shopped so much money at Foreign Cargo that it would be cheaper to simply buy the store. So they did.

That was five years ago and the business has since become a household name in providing unique home furnishings and accessories.

But the Cannoniers will be the first to admit that it hasn't always been easy competing with the retail giants right on their doorstep.

What is the secret to their success?

They have the strength of an entire family behind them and offer something unique to Bermuda from across the globe - a limited number of unique pieces reflecting the influences of diverse cultures through one avenue: home furnishings.

After four years in Italy, Craig's sister Gaylynne and her husband Vincenzo Romeo returned to Bermuda to join the team and were soon followed by their mother Margo Singleton.

The business also broadened its horizons to include interior design and decorating for both homes and the corporate setting and this is where Gaylynne's extensive background in the field came in handy.

Foreign Cargo's merchandising contacts are located in Africa, Europe and the US and Gaylynne and Antoinette regularly travel to shows to pick out the unique pieces for their collection. But even this proves to be a challenge as they invariably bump into buyers from the retail giants including Gibbons, Coopers and even Phoenix Stores.

However, the team will soon broaden their collection to include exclusive pieces from Italy, thanks to their "Italian connection", Vincenzo, who travels to shows in Milan.

While Vincenzo and Gaylynne have a background in interior decorating and design, Craig and Antoinette both worked in retail for numerous years and met during the ten years they worked at People's Pharmacy.

When the idea to buy Foreign Cargo arose in 2002, the couple approached the Bermuda Small Business Development Corporation (BSBDC) and say they found their services invaluable, not only by offering the team suggestions, but also helping them secure their loan.

But more than that, Antoinette says, members of the BSBDC visit the store regularly to make sure everything is going according to plan.

"They come in and ask how we're doing and compliment us on any changes we've made. A lot of time when you open a small business you feel like you're alone in the wilderness, like no one cares. But they are very supportive and you know you can always go to them for advice," Antoinette adds.

When asked whether they ever doubted their decision to "go it on their own", the team laugh and admit that there are days when they suddenly realise the risk they've taken.

"But that's why you have to go the extra mile to ensure your customers keep coming back. You have to be prepared to take that risk," Gaylynne says.

Antoinette agrees: "Having worked for someone else and then you're out on your own, that's scary, but by the same token it would be very difficult to go back to that after being your own boss."

They all agree that they work harder now than they ever did before because they not only run the store, but are also responsible for unpacking merchandise, cleaning the store, washing windows and putting out the garbage.

But the difficulties don't override the perks of being their own boss and making their own decisions as a team.

As for advice to any young Bermudian thinking of starting their own business, Antoinette suggests that it's important to do the necessary research.

"Don't go into it blindly and wake up like me one morning and say 'I'm going to buy this business'. Do your homework!" she warns.

As for the future of retail in Bermuda, Antoinette says they are constantly forced to be innovative and look at different avenues.

However, as with most of the specialised shops in Bermuda, their greatest competition is still online shopping and Bermudians going abroad to shop, but even here they have found a unique way to beat that.

"People don't want to go shopping abroad and be bothered with the logistics of shipping furniture, so we take on that responsibility. As for online shopping, some people can't be bothered to go online, or they come to us with whatever they found and ask us to order it for them. So we do, and no other shop in Hamilton will offer you that service," Antoinette explains.

As the only man on the team, Craig says working as a family does pose its challenges, but believes they benefit from each others' strengths: "We are here to learn from each other and that's what makes us so formidable and I still believe we are one of the island's best kept secrets."