Shop Canadian Made With Acre75.ca
I think it's safe to say that when we shop local we take pride in knowing where our purchase comes from and it matters if it's Canadian Made or not. There is something SO special rooted in that very statement - Made in Canada. It brings to mind the love, grit and time that goes into each and every part of the process. The intimate workshops where the magic happens, the late night packing missions that are imperative to get orders out in time and the early morning coffee run, essential to pumping out that midday newsletter. Small business owners go that extra mile and it shows in the quality, creativity and the unique nature of their products.
With the rise of artisan markets in our rural areas, I find it impossible to hit them all up or even yet, tour to other local towns to check out their roster. Therefore, I am always SO pumped when I find new ways to easily order products online in one spot from various Canadian artists, woodworkers, and crafters. INSERT ACRE 75.
Thanks to Instagram, I happened to stumble upon Acre75.ca, a Canadian, online shop ran by Virginia Ehrlich from the town of Milverton, Ontario. The shop sells unique goods, everything from beauty products to wooden toys, all handcrafted in Canadian small towns with populations of 30,000 or less.
#CanadianRepresent
English Toffee Gourmet Flavoured Pancake & Waffle Mix // Lannie Rae Gourmet, Cochrane, AB
It's super simple to order (I know this from experience) and when your package arrives, your items are packaged in some vintage Mildmay, Ontario newspaper stuffing. Now that is taking the artisan market to an online level! It's an easy way to support your fellow Canadians, and bring some wicked products into your home.
I had the lovely pleasure of chatting with Virginia, and we instantly connected over small business feels. To learn more about this rockin' shop, check out our small Q+A below.
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Q + A
Tell us about Acre75!
Acre75.ca is a proudly Canadian, independent online shop, owned by Virginia Ehrlich in Milverton, Ontario, Canada. We sell on-trend gifts and goods, all handcrafted in small towns or rural areas of Canada (population: less than 20,000). Our emphasis is on unique + quality items, with beautiful branding and packaging, that the recipient will appreciate and find useful. You can either purchase individual items or put items together and build a custom gift box on our website (popular at Mother's Day and Christmas!).
How did you come up with the name Acre75?
Acre75's namesake is the 75 acre farm I grew up on in Mildmay, Ontario. My parents still live on the farm and we visit as often as possible! You can see photos of the farm under my Farm story highlight on Instagram!
What is your overall vision for the brand?
To help makers share their products outside of their local area and show the world all of the cool, innovative and creative things happening in small towns!
Are all of your products sourced from Canadian businesses?
Yes! All of my products are handcrafted by makers and artisans in Canada with mostly Canadian content (each product differs).
Do you ship anywhere?
We ship to Canada and the U.S.A. Eventually I would love to ship worldwide!
What is your favourite Ontario town to visit?
Gosh, this is a hard one! There's so many! Elora, St. Jacobs, Mildmay, Point Clark, Kimberley (I recently discovered the Kimberley General Store and Justin's Oven, yummy!!). The thing I love about these towns is their shops, restaurants, beautiful landscapes and overall small town charm!
Wooden Tractor Toy // The Woodlot, Walters Falls, ON
What does an average day look like for a small business owner?
Every day is different! Some days are spent improving my website, SEO and Google AdWords, some days are spent designing new pins for Pinterest and planning out my Instagram posts, some days are spent networking and attending modern craft shows to source new products, and of course some days are packing and shipping orders! As I am working a part-time job and also have an almost 2-year old daughter, I am very intentional with how I spend my Acre75.ca time. I have started time tracking to ensure I don't get side tracked and waste time doing things that really aren't going to help the business or increase sales. I also try to make time for yoga in my day. It's important to realize that nourishing your business and nourishing yourself are two separate things. Sometimes I get so engrained in my business that I realize I haven't taken time to focus on me. That's when I know it's time to hit the mat or head outside for a walk to recharge and refocus.
How often are you adding new products to your site?
Quarterly. But now that I am focusing more on individual items I may start adding new products more regularly!
Are there any products/brands that you're currently into or have recently discovered?
It's not a small town or Canadian brand, but I love my S'well water bottle. S'well is the fastest growing woman owned business in the U.S. (#girlpower!) and I love that the owner started the business in an effort to rid the world of plastic water bottles (something that I am also passionate about). I bring my S'well bottle everywhere (walks, restaurants, meetings, etc.) and it sits on my desk all day with me!
What do you like to order on your pizza?
Traditional pepperoni and cheese (with a little bit of Frank's Red Hot) for this girl!
Check out the Acre75 website for further browsing or give them a follow on Instagram. Happy shopping!