An online presence is vital for small retailers. Soak Bath Company (opposite page) and Willow Creek’s Des Hildebrand (above left) and Sonya Shiskoski have strong stand-alone sites, while Good Local provides a one-stop site. Willow Creek photos by Darcy Finley to Hawaiian music and drink mai tais, for example) and made-in-Manitoba goods from businesses such as the Charleston & Harlow Candle Co., The Cozy Prairie Quilt and Smak Dab mustard. GOOD LOCAL In Winnipeg, former Winnipeg Blue Bomber Obby Khan and his fellow entrepreneur Ali Esmail created an online venue, Good Local (goodlocal.ca) to encourage Manitobans to buy from local retailers and makers. It’s a one-stop site with access to goods that run the gamut — honey from Libau’s Faith Apiaries, bath products from Sandy Hook Soap Factory, funky leather bags from Winnipeg’s Earth and Hide, butter from the Notre Dame creamery and multiple vendors of jewelry, farm-fresh meat, knits, candles, art and more. ■
safety protocols. And while Hildebrand has so far been able to show about 80% of the boutique’s stock online, it’s not as easy as taking a photo and posting it. Merchandise must be measured and weighed to provide detailed information to customers. SOAK BATH COMPANY Niverville soap-maker Candace Alarie’s business was going down the drain at the start of the pandemic, but it wasn’t long before she was cleaning up. Thanks to a trade-show display in Toronto in January, her SOAK Bath Company attracted attention from Hudson’s Bay Co. buyers, and she landed coveted display space in some 20 stores. She’s also secured contracts with several shops in the U.S. and she is busy shipping products to individual buyers who are stocking up on gifts and luxury goods from her online store
(cksoakbathco.com) and at retail outlets such as the Niverville Community General Store. THE FABRIC SNOB Riverton’s The Fabric Snob (thefabricsnob. com) has the mask-making supply business all sewn up in the Interlake. The family company has new crafters and veteran sewers covered, with fabulous fabrics, patterns, metal nose pieces, elastic for ear loops, sewing machine parts and more. Extremely well stocked, the shop wins rave reviews online. MCPHAIL TRAVEL Think globally, shop locally could be the mantra at Brandon’s McPhail Travel. The company came up with themed staycation boxes (staycationbox.ca) packed with itineraries, recipes and activities (listen
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