The Store

If you’ve been following my social media at all, you’ll know that I’m opening a retail store soon. This idea has been in my brain for a few years now and has been ever-changing. 

The idea started out as a small, quaint little shop that would be situated right here on our farm. I always thought it would be perfect to just have to walk across the yard to go to work. Easier to check on the farm critters during the day, keep up with the house and yard, and just the comfort of being right at home. However, there was always that nagging voice reminding me that opening our home to public traffic was a terrible idea, but I kept “shushing” that voice because I didn’t see any other option. 

Fast forward a couple years and we’ve moved an old building to our farm with the intent of turning it into my workshop/store. The building is perfect as it used to be the coal storage building at the grain elevators in town and you all know how much I love to salvage something old and give it new life. It’s a big brute of a building and it now sits proudly on a spanky new foundation in our yard. I began the huge job of tearing out walls and planning the addition. There was electrical and plumbing to add (thankfully this is right in Husband’s area of expertise); insulating needed to be done and of course, all the finishing touches to make it beautiful. 

Then summer started. My husband has a fairly seasonal business and when it’s busy, it’s really busy, and this summer went off with a bang. I kept plugging away at the shed but there is only so much I can do on my own. So one morning before my husband and daughter went off to work for the day, we had an impromptu family meeting. I was panicking about getting the store open and they were too busy to really help me with it so I had to figure out another way. 

We live close to a tiny village where my husband was born and raised. Population 340’ish. Yup, three digit population. The small Ukrainian farming settlement was founded in 1908 and was once a bustling little town with automotive and farm implement dealerships, at one time there were five grain elevators lined up along the rail line. There was a hospital, gas stations, restaurants, a theatre, a K-12 school (there still is), and it even once boasted a pool hall and arcade! 

Though the village is now not so “bustling”, there are still a few people who don’t want to see it fade into Alberta’s history as just a memory. Sometimes these little rural farming communities have a way of just kind of melting away. My husband and I don’t want to see that happen. This is his hometown, he’s been running a business here for almost 15 years and though I’m not originally from this area, home for me is wherever he is. 

Back to our family meeting….

We started discussing finding a building to rent right in town. There are a lot of old buildings unfortunately they are getting pretty run down. Some of the cutest ones are just not salvageable – even for my imagination. The old theatre sits proudly on the corner and has a very retro look, and though I’ve never been in it, I hear it’s not in great shape. It’s looking pretty rough and I hope whoever owns it decides to save it – if at all possible. There’s an adorable little false-front shop right on main street that is for sale but all indications show that it is unfortunately too far gone and therefore a tear down. That leaves me with one perfect option… an old dealership right on the highway that goes through town. Built in 1950 as a Dodge/Desoto dealership, it also provided local farmers with Allis Chalmers, Massey Ferguson, and Massey Harris farm implements. It also had a service department and a big shop in the back. It closed in the early 1960’s and for over 40 years it sat dormant until my Dad drove through town and saw it. He kept it in the back of his mind and then many years later driving through town again, he stopped and asked the man mowing the lawn next door if he knew who owned it, and if it was for sale. Well, that man owned it and yes it was for sale. About a year and a half later, my parents opened a 1950’s car themed diner in that old dealership building. 

That was almost 12 years ago and I’d recently been hearing mumblings from my parents that they were thinking of shutting the restaurant down. Running a restaurant is a lot of work and they were tired, it was time to move on. So I thought – what the heck, I’ll ask. 

It didn’t take much persuasion. One week later, the restaurant was closed for good and the renovations started for my store. 

 

It’s perfect. The front of the building is an 1100sq’ showroom with giant windows. This is my leased area and where my store will be. The back is still my Dad’s workshop until he decides he doesn’t want it anymore and then I’ll move my workshop from my garage here at home to over there. As much as that will be awesome… I am in no hurry to not have my Dad in the back. It’s awesome having him close – it’s almost like the old days when we used to work together on our race cars. It’s nice having him there when I need advice or help. 

I have to mention that I would not be this far ahead in those renovations if it wasn’t for the help of my parents. My Dad has been the extra set of muscles when I need it and the voice of experience when I don’t know how to do something. He’s my critic and my cheerleader and he keeps me thinking. My Mom has been an immeasurable help. She has been there most every day, helping with whatever I need. She is the one who was up on the scaffolding painting because I’m afraid of heights. She’s been the one to keep me motivated when I’m frustrated, to hug me when I need to cry. She’s been my rock. I honestly don’t know what I would do without them. I don’t want to know. It’s thanks to them that I have the imagination and the drive to always try new things. To go for my dreams. To never give up. 

So that’s where I am now. I’m on the home stretch as far as renovations go and I’ve set an opening date of October 6th. There’s still plenty of work to be done and I’m tired but excited. I hope to offer something different – a unique store where people can come in and purchase cool furniture, home decor and other treasures. I will also be carrying all the fun products for anyone who wants to create amazing things for themselves and offering workshops to inspire ideas and art. 

Creating is a big deal for me. It always has been but it’s taken me into my 40’s to realize just how big of a deal. I want this store to be the epitome of creativity. A place where you can come and be inspired. To learn, to experiment, to laugh, to be creative. To break the rules and be uniquely you. 

I hope you’ll come and visit. 

sentimentalsalvage.ca