'It’s super exciting': GoodLocal opens brick and mortar storefront
What started out as an initiative to help support local businesses during the pandemic now has a physical presence in Winnipeg.
GoodLocal celebrated the opening of its new storefront in the Exchange District on Tuesday.
The brick and mortar shop on McDermot Avenue is a physical extension of the online initiative, aimed at helping makers and merchants connect with customers.
It was initially launched in 2020 as a website by entrepreneur Obby Khan and Dr. Ali Esmail. The two heard stories about local products spoiling and sitting during the pandemic, unable to reach customers. Therefore, they launched the site as a way to make it easy for Manitoba buyers to sell and deliver to customers.
Its new space exclusively features local goods from more than 60 Manitoba vendors, selling everything from frozen food to clothing.
“We have over 10,000 products online, and we have a few hundred, if not a thousand here,” Khan said.
The goal is to feature an ever-changing lineup of products, and give local vendors a chance to be exposed to a new customer base.
“We do hope to rotate every month, every two months, every occasion – Mother’s Day, Father’s Day - have new vendors, new products,” Khan said. “We’re actually going to open up this space for a pop-up, so we’re going to give a local vendor an opportunity to have a pop-up for free in a brick and mortar store for a period of time.”
According to Khan, GoodLocal has helped small business owners make more than a million dollars in sales since the site launched in 2020.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
Suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery caught on video
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.