New store specializes in locally-made products
August 16, 2022, 4:28 pm
Kara Kinna
A new store in Moosomin—The Urban Market—specializes in locally-made products and products from around Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
The store opened on Broadway Avenue in Moosomin this summer and sells products made by local vendors, as well as Sask-made and Manitoba-made products.
Currently there are 20 vendors with shelf space in the store, and owners Angela and Chad Hales say they are planning to add more.
“We lived in Alberta, in Okotoks, and there was a store like this in Okotoks and we really liked the idea,” says Angela. “We do laser engraving and I do customized apparel and stuff like that. We put our stuff in that store and there is a town just south of Calgary named Nanton, there is a store called The Hive there, and we put our stuff in there as well. We really liked the idea and the concept of it.
“It is kind of like consignment. They (the vendors) rent out a space, a shelf, or a unit, and we do a little bit of commission just to cover our costs. If they rent a space they get 90 per cent of their sales so we just keep a little bit for our costs.”
Right now the store is carrying a wide range of products from local vendors.
“Twin Timbers is from Alberta, they are friends of ours. We have honey from Birtle and honey from Saskatoon. Simpson Snacks are from Simpson, Saskatchewan. Creative Eats is from Estevan, Saskatchewan.
“And then we have Summer Heide with her Sumix Snax. Laurna Huberdeau has knitted sweaters and crocheted animals. Diane Taylor Lowes, she has some of her sweaters and table runners, and sewing like veggie bags, potato bags, microwave bowls. Farm Kid Creations from Rocanville is in here. Precious Packages has some of her things in here.
“Frank Paul has some of his antiques in here. Carolynn Pollock has her beautiful receiving blankets and little snap bags. And Fern Rempel has cards with prints of her paintings. Brenda Dobson makes beautiful purses here in town, they are all hand made. And we have jams, jellies, pickles, bracelets and candles. Crystal Dragon Healing has some of her crystals, bracelets, and necklaces.
“Oh! How Sweet Bouquets have little candy bouquets for all occasions. Caylor Fawcett has some of her wildlife calendars here. We have cocktail bombs, cakesicles and gourmet marshmallows.
“We are pretty happy with our first couple of months open. The more people who get to know about us here, the better it will be. We just like that it helps the community, because not everybody can afford to have a store front. Same with us, with our laser engraving, we couldn’t just do a whole store by ourselves.”
The Hales say the store has been well received.
“They are so happy to be able to shop local,” says Angela. “Everyone is like ‘oh wow, such a great selection, I’m coming back for Christmas shopping. Or any occasion shopping. They like having another gift shop around.”
“And for us there are blank mugs where you tell us what you want on it, we will design it and send it to you, you approve it and we put it on a mug, and we can actually make it how you want it.
“And Precious Packages (who we are also carrying)does customized products as well.”
“The possibilities are endless,” says Angela. “There are just so many talented people around here. We’re going to keep growing until maybe one day we will have to get another space. For right now this is perfect for us. We get to share with Angela (Thorn) with her hair and Crystal (Top Coat Nails) with her nails—it’s just perfect. (Evolution Hair Studio and Top Coat Nails are located in the same building). People can shop while they are waiting to get their hair done or in between.”
“And just seeing people happy is so great,” adds Chad. “I remember the first purse we sold, that vendor was so happy.
“Our first month we went through and everybody in the store sold something. We want to see everybody sell stuff. They are just like us, people working at home, crafters.”
Angela grew up in Rocanville and Moosomin before moving to Alberta in 2003, and Chad grew up in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. The couple say they made the decision to come back to Moosomin to open the store and be closer to family.
“I went to school in Rocanville so my family is there, and then I moved here when I was around 15, until 2003 and then I moved to Alberta,” says Angela. “I moved back to Rocanville for a few years and then headed back out west because Chad’s job took him there.
“We just figured we wanted to start a store like this and it wasn’t feasible in Alberta and we saw a need in the community so we thought we’d come here and try it out and see if it works or not.
“And we wanted to be close to family. Our parents are getting older and we have 10-year-old girls, so it’s just nice to bring them back to a smaller community, and they are doing so well, they love it here.”
“My mom and dad live in Portage La Prairie, so we get to see them a lot more,” adds Chad. “So it was a family decision to come back. With this in mind we came back, and we kind of had this in mind as a vision.”
The Hales say they are loving the community so far and doing business in Moosomin.
“It’s great, everybody supports everybody, it’s so great. The business community, people in the community, everything,” says Angela.
“It’s a great place for that,” adds Chad.
“Everyone is so helpful and if you need anything, they do anything they can to help you out,” says Angela.
