On a recent business trip to North Bay, Karen insisted that I drop into the FARM. While walking down Main St. West, I came upon the store and, once entering, felt like I had met Freedom’s long lost cousin in Northern Ontario.
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| among other things, love your ceilings guys!! |
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| gasp! The glorious space and they keep it clean :) |
The FARM (
www.thefarmfashion.ca) is a collective of emerging and established designers whose aim is to share and support local and Canadian talent. Much like Freedom, they are dedicated to offer fashion and lifestyle products that are handmade, locally-made, Canadian-made or eco-conscious. They aim to contribute to North Bay’s strong arts and culture community and attract shoppers to the downtown core.
Judging by the friendly smile and greeting that I received and the number of customers browsing and buying, they are succeeding in their aim to make North Bay a must visit destination.
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| super cute community chalkboard project! yay! |
Armed with an email list and trying to decipher a bunch of back and forth text messages from Karen, I made my way through the store looking for some specific products. The staff was extremely helpful and I came away with a beautiful orange Stone Collection Quartz Finish Swell Water Bottle (
www.swellbottle.com) and some reusable food storage wraps made from beeswax, tree resin and jojoba oil infused into fabric made of hemp and cotton by Abeego (
www.abeego.ca), an innovative company from Victoria, British Colombia. The smell of this lovely product is so warm and friendly you can't wait to start using it.
Visually, the FARM is a very open and beautiful space. I was also impressed with the large workspace in the back. Along with boutique-style retail space, they also offer a work-space for its members to share their skills and experiences.
It was great to connect with others who are pursuing the rewarding, and sometimes challenging, mission of promoting Canadian talent and advocate for an eco-friendly lifestyle.
Make sure to check them out on
Facebook and in person if you are ever in North Bay!
