5 Businesses Our Editors Shopped in 2025

We’re big proponents of shopping small and shopping local. (So much so that we started an entire column called Local Love where B.C. businesses shout out their favourite brands and businesses.) Now, it’s our turn to shout out some shops we loved in 2025.

1. Poplin and Co., Vancouver

 

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Can we just all agree that life is too short to live in beige and grey? Poplin and Co. started selling at craft fairs and heritage halls, and now their brick and mortar started in the Fraserhood on Broadway and is just a joy to visit. Shadi and Antonio create hand-drawn, colourful, joyful prints for their men’s and women’s clothing, from coordinating beach sets to collared shirts and drop-waist dresses. I picked up a matching resort set for my husband for Christmas, adorned with birds of paradise, but please don’t tell him because it’s still under the tree! —Darcy Matheson, editor-in-chief, BCBusiness

2. Standing Spruce Farm & Apothecary, Campbell River

 

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When I was in Campbell River in October, I spent some time exploring the shops along (or very near) the aptly named Shoppers Row. One such shop was Standing Spruce Apothecary. Owned and operated by Lesley Assu, a member of the Haida nation, Standing Spruce is an Indigenous wellness brand that sells sustainable, natural and ethically-made products using old world medicine and traditional practices. Inside the shop is an eclectic collection of beautiful old wooden furniture (including what I suspect was a work station!) alongside the new shelves displaying balms, soaps, salves, candles, incense, smudges and so much more. I could’ve stayed for hours browsing through the apothecary, but instead I left with a few gifts for the witchy women in my life. —Sandrine Jacquot, editor, BCLiving

3. Cadine, Vancouver

 

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It’s no secret that I’m in love with Cadine on Cambie Street in Vancouver. Think thoughtfully curated gifts and cookbooks, a gorgeous flower bar, and well-made leather goods, jewellery and more. It’s my go-to place to grab a bouquet for special occasions, shop for seasonal items (I recently purchased this Peter Mouse Christmas ornament), and dream about a day that I’ll be able to afford a bracelet that’s over $1,000. Plus, they host some incredible events and will sometimes feature local artists in their upstairs space. From cookbook launches to wreath-making workshops, it’s a place to gather and enjoy the finer things in life. —Rebekah Ho, digital marketing manager

4. The Dewdrop Shop, New Westminster

Granny square bags and sweaters have been hot for a minute, but I guarantee you that you haven’t been able to score a granny square purse quite like these ones. Handmade by Amy Parr in New Westminster, these bespoke beaded bags are made with scrap and sample beads from other projects (The Dewdrop Shop also makes necklaces, cellphone holders, card holders and more), just like their fibre-arts inspiration. These bags are “big enough for an envelope wallet, keys, lipstick and a large cellphone while small enough for the evening.” Plus, if you’re a fan of up-cycling, these small businesses also make antique beads fresh and new by repurposing them into eclectic yet stunning necklaces. —Kristi Alexandra, managing editor, Vancouver Magazine, Western Living, BCBusiness

5. Freshly Unbothered, Vancouver

I’m not normally a “clacky beads” type of person, but I couldn’t help but fall for the playful branding of these Freshly Unbothered bracelets. Founder Michelle Harper is a recovering marketing exec (and talented independent consultant), cheekily working through her corporate rage and feminist frustrations with pretty, shiny bracelets made from magical gemstones. You can shop by colour, or create a super-powered stack with pieces like the black tourmaline Not Today, Satan (designed to protect you from both general evil and “trolls lurking in the comment section”). But don’t be fooled by the playful nihilism, because there’s heart behind this project: $1 from every bracelet sold goes to the Canadian Cancer Society. —Stacey McLachlan, editor-in-chief, Vancouver magazine