Supporting Indigenous businesses preserves culture and empowers communities by offering unique experiences, from traditional Métis crafts to specialized grocery and craft stores showcasing Indigenous heritage. By highlighting five must-visit Aboriginal stores across Canada, we also recognize the broader context of Indigenous beliefs and rituals. Alongside, online platforms, including gaming websites, play a significant role in driving its community development and resilience. These ventures create economic opportunities and sustain cultural practices by reinvesting profits into community projects.
Indigenous traditions emphasize a deep connection to the land, community, and ancestors, incorporating daily rituals that reflect respect for nature. Interestingly, similar ritualistic behaviours can be observed in online gambling, where players develop superstitions and routines they believe influence their luck and outcomes.
In this article, we will explore five must-visit aboriginal stores across Canada, highlighting their offerings, history, and unique features.
Kaienthókwen
Kaienthókwen, founded by Kahtehrón:ni Stacey in Kahnawake, Quebec, focuses on providing traditional and contemporary Indigenous foods to the community. The store aims to make these foods more accessible while nurturing nation-to-nation trade.
Location and Address
Kaienthókwen is located at Route 207, Kahnawake, QC, Canada, Quebec.
Services and Products
The store offers a wide range of traditional foods, including corn, squash, and pumpkin, which Stacey and her family produce and harvest locally. Kaienthókwen also carries contemporary items sourced from other Indigenous nations, such as wild rice pancake mix, wild blueberry syrup, and herbal teas.
Unique Features
Kaienthókwen highlights the importance of nation-to-nation trade and supports Indigenous-run food companies. By ensuring that all products sold are from Indigenous-owned businesses, the store promotes cultural preservation and economic empowerment within Indigenous communities.
Teekca’s Boutique
Established in 1998 in the Norway House Cree Nation, Manitoba, Teekca’s Boutique has expanded its reach with multiple locations across the province. The business began with an 800-square-foot retail space and has since grown to include a variety of services and products.
Location and Address
Teekca’s Boutique has two locations in Winnipeg: 1654 St. Matthews Ave and 223- #1 Forks Market Rd.
Services and Products
Teekca’s Boutique is known for its oven-fresh bannock, local fruits and vegetables, Manitoba-caught fish, specialty jams, hand-crafted moccasins, and Aboriginal artwork. The store also offers engraving, embroidery, and memorial ordering services.
Unique Features
The boutique is committed to promoting Squamish Nation artists and offering a variety of Indigenous-themed products. Teekca’s Boutique actively supports the Indigenous community through sponsorship and resourcing and provides employment opportunities for young Indigenous people entering the retail workforce.
Canadian Indigenous Art
Canadian Indigenous Art was started by Maike Marnet, who began collecting Canadian Indigenous art over thirty years ago. The online gallery aims to share and promote this art worldwide, focusing on the unique artwork of Squamish Nation artists.
Location and Address
Canadian Indigenous Art is an online gallery showcasing West Coast Indigenous art.
Services and Products
The gallery offers a vast collection of carvings, ceramics, dream catchers, drums, paintings, prints, wood carvings, and more from Indigenous artists across Turtle Island.
Unique Features
Canadian Indigenous Art boasts one of the largest collections of West Coast Indigenous art available for global collectors and enthusiasts. The online platform allows for the promotion and appreciation of Indigenous craftsmanship on a global scale.
Nations Fresh Foods
Nations Fresh Foods is a multicultural grocery store chain founded in 2012 in Woodbridge, Ontario. The business focuses on providing a wide variety of grocery items from around the world while keeping prices low and maintaining daily freshness.
Location and Address
Nations Fresh Foods has multiple locations, including Woodbridge and downtown Hamilton, Ontario.
Services and Products
The grocery chain features a large food court with worldwide cuisines, fresh grocery items, bison meat, and an excellent catering service. The Hamilton flagship store also offers a produce courtyard and kitchen with great capability.
Unique Features
Nations Fresh Foods emphasizes daily freshness and affordability, with a mission to be an innovative leader in the grocery industry by offering fresh products from all over the world at competitive prices.
Neechi Commons (Permanently Closed)
Neechi Commons was a community business complex operated by Neechi Foods Co-Op Ltd., an Aboriginal-owned and operated worker co-operative in Winnipeg’s North End. The complex aimed to foster neighbourhood revitalization and provide economic opportunities for Aboriginal youth and area residents while promoting healthy foods and lifestyles. Neechi Foods Co-Op Ltd. was Winnipeg’s largest commercial employer of First Nations and Métis people, with about 80% of staff positions held by Aboriginal people and hiring priority given to neighbourhood residents.
Location and Address
Neechi Commons was located at 865 Main Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Note: The store is now permanently closed.
Services and Products (Before Closing)
Before its closure, Neechi Commons offered a wide range of services and products. The complex included a neighbourhood supermarket focusing on locally harvested and processed foods, a restaurant called BisonBerry Restaurant at Neechi Commons, a fruit and vegetable courtyard, and an art store featuring Aboriginal artwork and books. The art store, Neechi Niche, supported over 200 local Indigenous artisans and authors. Neechi Commons also housed the Aboriginal Designers Co-op, which created and sold customized fashion clothing.
Unique Features
Neechi Commons was committed to the health and well-being of the community. The business was recognized for its diabetes prevention work and was the first grocery store in Winnipeg to not sell cigarettes, instead subsidizing a “kids only” fruit basket. Neechi Commons also hosted various artistic, literary, and community events, serving as a hub for community pride and reconciliation efforts.
The development of Neechi Commons included the restoration of heritage buildings and incorporated eco-friendly features. The business received recognition for its heritage restoration work and contributions to Aboriginal business leadership.
Neechi Commons collaborated with various community agencies, including the Center for Aboriginal Human Resource Development (CAHRD), to provide work experience and assisted employment opportunities. CAHRD covered a substantial portion of initial trainee wages and offered ongoing recruitment services to Neechi Commons.
Despite its closure, Neechi Commons serves as an important example of the potential for Indigenous-owned businesses to make a significant impact on their communities. The complex demonstrated the power of combining commercial enterprise with social and cultural initiatives to create a vibrant, inclusive, and empowering community space.
Supporting Aboriginal and Indigenous Businesses
Supporting Indigenous businesses is essential for the preservation of culture and the economic empowerment of Indigenous communities. By exploring and supporting Indigenous stores like Kaienthókwen, Teekca’s Boutique, Canadian Indigenous Art, Nations Fresh Foods, and the now-closed Neechi Commons, we can foster a greater appreciation for Indigenous craftsmanship and contribute to the sustainability of these important cultural enterprises. These grocery, meat and craft stores offer unique shopping experiences that showcase the rich diversity of Indigenous heritage and provide a gateway to experiencing and appreciating the beauty and significance of Indigenous culture.
Disclaimer: As passionate enthusiasts of Indigenous culture, we have provided these reviews of noteworthy Aboriginal stores across Canada to share our appreciation and to encourage others to support these businesses. However, we want to clarify that we are not affiliated with or sponsored by any of the stores mentioned, including Neechi Commons. Our goal is simply to offer informative and honest reviews based on our experiences and research. If you have any questions or feedback regarding this content, please feel free to reach out to us at hi @ neechi.ca.