Our Values

THE GOAL

Everyone Leaves Happier Than When They Arrived
Our shops are a place of good vibes and memorable experiences. It is our goal that everyone leaves in a better mood than when they arrived. Everyone: customers, staff, delivery drivers, people asking directions, door-to-door vacuum salespeople — everyone.

 

BETTER QUALITY PRODUCTS

We are our own best customers. We get excited about the products we sell and our relationships with our suppliers, who often also make the items we sell by hand.

  • We only sell things we would use ourselves.
  • When you use our products, you will immediately see their quality.
  • Many of the products we sell are handmade. A product made by an individual or a small group of individuals who are experts in their field has a certain something that cannot be replicated by an assembly line.
  • We pay our suppliers a fair price for their work. If we are good customers, our suppliers tend to treat us with the same respect.
  • The products we sell should last as long as they possibly can. We would rather help you maintain the item we sell you than sell you a second or third of the same.

INCLUSIVENESS AND DIVERSITY

We work to maintain an inclusive environment for both staff and customers. This includes respecting people’s cultures, orientations and special requirements.

  • All are welcome: all races, all religions, all sexual orientations, all ethnicities, all ages, all genders, all countries of origin, all abilities and disabilities — all humans.

COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY

We believe that a company that makes money in a community also needs to contribute to its community.

  • We donate half of the money we take in from sharpening each year to the charities we support, including:  
    • Operation Come Home, Foxglove Farm, Brown Bagging for Calgary Kids, The Centre for Autism Services Alberta, Sole Food Street Farms, and Red Cross Disaster Relief.

    ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY

    Traditional retailers rely on selling you the same item over and over. We would rather sell you one of that item and help you maintain it for the rest of your life. Some of our products are designed to last generations. We also sponsor environmental causes that handle causes we are passionate about.

    • Fewer items thrown out are better for the environment.
    • We sponsor local beekeeping organization ABC Bees because food is important, and therefore bees are important. You can’t have one without the other.
    • While we do stock items from all over the world, we try to source items from local suppliers whenever possible, shrinking our shipping carbon footprint.

    OUR STAFF ARE OUR BACKBONE

    We believe that a staff that is paid well, has a stake in the profits of a company, and doesn't need to worry about their paycheque when they run into life’s speed bumps are more productive and have a reason to stick around longer.

    Our incentives include: pay an above average wage, profit sharing for all levels of employees, health benefits plan, 5 paid sick days per year, opportunities for advancement, and supporting staff development and education.

    EVERYDAY INSPIRATION

    We want to make seemingly mundane chores enjoyable. A life worth living is a life where you enjoy the little day-to-day tasks that you’ve been told are unpleasant or “work”.

    • A great knife can inspire kitchen adventure
    • Incorporating a classic shaving routine into a valued part of your day creates a meaningful ritual
    • Chopping wood with a superior-feeling sharp axe is such a treat