Sales may be down for some retailers during these muggy summer days, but the Community General Store nonetheless had a big opening week. The store’s proprietor, Noella Andres, says traffic through her new Niverville store has been constant since she opened the doors on June 26.

“There wasn’t a single moment where our store wasn’t at maximum capacity,” Andres says, indicating that safe distancing practices meant having to limit the number of shoppers at any one time. “On opening day, we had approximately 150 people make purchases… and often there was a lineup to get in the store and in the building. It was such an exciting day for us, and so far the momentum has continued throughout the week.”

The most popular items so far, she says, have been the fresh floral bouquets and Utoffea, a locally created confection made with salted cashews, toffee, and chocolate.

It wouldn’t be a general store without a broad selection of other knickknacks and collectibles—and a collection of home and skincare products too. Along with fresh flowers, a wide variety of potted house plants livens up the store. For the outdoor chef, spice blends, meat rubs, and sauces line the shelves.

Andres hopes shoppers will appreciate her keen interest in supporting local artisans. This means the store carries unique jewelry, art prints, candles, soaps, pottery, essential oils, stained glass, and macramé, just for a start.

“Most of the makers in the store I have personally had the pleasure of meeting, and that was important to me,” says Andres. “On opening weekend, a lot of these makers came down to meet some of our customers and see their products on our shelves… There is nothing better than… knowing that [our] purchases helped to take care of their family and fuel their passion.”

In an effort to work towards a more environmentally sustainable future, the Community General Store also boasts a zero-waste refilling station with a selection of soaps, household cleaners, bath products, and toothpaste tabs. Soon Andres anticipates adding bubble bath, shampoo, conditioner, and body lotion to the inventory. Clients can bring their own jars for filling or purchase a refillable glass bottle in store.

The popular Wolseley Kombucha, brewed in Winnipeg, will also eventually be a refillable item, served from a keg instead of individual bottles.

But Andres’s interest in sustainability goes beyond the products she carries.

“Our bags for shopping are not branded and that’s on purpose,” says Andres. “We want people to use them as gift bags in the future. We also have tried our best to [be discriminating on] most packaging on products and have asked a lot of the makers… to try and avoid plastic shipping materials when sending their boxes to us. We also keep a lot of the boxes that are sent to us so that, when an online order comes through, we can reuse the boxes.”

In keeping with this theme, Andres makes an effort to source products with friendly ingredients, too.

“All of our skincare and candles are made with essential oils rather than [unnatural] fragrances,” adds Andres. “I have tried my best to keep everything in the store nontoxic and as green as possible. We have educated ourselves on the footprint left behind by the makers themselves, asking questions such as where they get their ingredients and materials.”

Anupaya Quality Goods is one of Andres’s favourite brands due to their dedication to the environment. For every product they sell, the company commits to cleaning up one pound of garbage. As a local ambassador, she expects to be organizing local clean-up initiatives to assist in turning the company’s goal into a reality here at home.

In the very near future, Andres’s business plan will include one more exciting addition: do-it-yourself workshops. Partnering with Shareen Rashwan of Bistro 290, the pair will provide opportunities for crafters to try their hands at making terrariums and painting watercolours. Customers will also be able to sign up for workshops on making homemade bodycare products, kombucha, and seasonal décor.

“Both Shereen and I have a huge heart for bringing the community together, and we are both very excited about these events.”