It's time to put your shopping game in gear and hop aboard the latest boutique trend.
Shops built on four wheels have made their way into St. Albert, offering a variety of women's clothing, Indigenous jewelry and delicate bouquets.
Mobile shops offer a different experience than shopping at a traditional storefront. Each vehicle reflects the business owner, from crisp and cool teals and whites to rustic woods and indie adornments.
The boutique on wheels offers an interesting, and unconventional way of shopping.
The fashion truck fad started in the U.S. in 2010. There are currently about 500 in the states and only about 20 in Canada.
Out of the Blue Mobile Boutique
Out of the Blue began when store owner Nicole Prokopiuk said she had operated a storefront in the past, but decided to do something different.
"I came across some fashion trucks in the U.S. and it just clicked. I thought "this is perfect, this will work."
Her boutique is fashioned out of a vehicle similar to a food truck. Its walls are painted white, with trendy mirrors framed with teal-coloured wood hanging from the walls.
A comfortable teal couch is pushed up against the wall, facing a white bookshelf displaying delicately placed homemade leather-bound journals and wallets.
Fashionable necklaces, scarves and bracelets are displayed in glass cases and atop shelves in the mobile vehicle. Extra large dream catchers hang from racks, almost the size of a five-foot, five-inch person.
Each item has a traditional Indigenous style, hand-crafted by the Métis storeowner.
Prokopiuk hadn't explored her culture or its practices until she was an adult. She learned how to create traditional Indigenous crafts and wanted to pass on the knowledge.
She currently teaches traditional Indigenous crafts at a youth treatment centre.
Working with at-risk youth, Prokopiuk says there's an over-representation of Aboriginal children in the system. By teaching them how to create their own traditional crafts, she's teaching them how to connect with their culture while providing a creative outlet.
The at-risk youth create anything from beaded jewelry to medicine bags.
Prokopiuk says she hopes to use her business to teach the young people how to be successful and eventually run their own businesses. In the future she'll turn her business into a social enterprise.
"So many of the kids I work with are so creative and so crafty. They have such a capacity but just don't have that belief in themselves," she says. "Hopefully with support and mentorship, they'll have the skills to go and do this and make money in a positive way."
By opening Out of the Blue Mobile Boutique Prokopiuk is learning first-hand what it takes to operate a business.
When she first began her mobile boutique she thought she was alone in the area. However, when Prokopiuk made her way through crowds at the Rainmaker Rodeo in May she was surprised to find a fellow four-wheeled shop selling women's clothing.
Prairie Couture
When Marina Perilli debuted her fashion truck, Prairie Couture, at the Rainmaker Rodeo she was surprised with the amount of support she received.
"I had so many people interested in what I was selling," she says.
She started building her business after a few trips to California. She saw different vehicles selling different swag and thought "why don't I do this?"
"They were on the beaches and I thought it was so fun and new," she says.
The interior of her large aluminum trailer has wooden floors, rustic decorations and a pink neon light in the shape of a heart leaning against the wall. Gypsy at heart, Perilli says she wanted to create a bohemian vibe in her boutique.
Her clothing lines are fashionable yet affordable. Sitting at $20-$100 per item, she says she wanted to sell trendy clothing to people at a price that wouldn't break the bank.
"The clothing here is very feminine, so you'll see a lot of lace, floral patterns and crocheting," she says. "I wanted to sell clothing at an affordable price because other stores that sell this kind of clothing are quite expensive."
Perilli owns two other businesses. The entrepreneur says when she first contemplated opening a boutique she couldn't afford rent in St. Albert. Instead she decided to open her own mobile store.
"This is where I'm from, I was born and raised here. I really want to have a different market here," she says.
Perilli has set up her vehicle at different events, such as the Seven Music Fest, since she opened in May. She says eventually she would like to design and sell her own clothing.
"There really isn't much out there for Canadian Boho and I really want to bring to St. Albert," she says.
Perilli is planning to host a few backyard markets at her home after launching the first one on Wednesday. At the event a third mobile shop was parked, selling bouquets of flowers.
Road Petals
They may be based out of Edmonton, but they aren't shying away from parking their shop in St. Albert. After meeting Perilli at an Edmonton market, co-owners Sheri Reich and sister-in-law Billie McMurdo decided they wanted to showcase their flowers within our city.
"We wanted to sell fresh flowers by the stem, where people could pick what they wanted instead of having to buy pre-made bouquets with stuff you didn't necessarily want," Reich says.
Rieche and McMurdo both work in the health care industry. Reiche is a health care aide and McMurdo works at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton.
The duo decided to open the fresh flower shop in May, an idea inspired by mobile flower shops in the U.S.
"That kind of prompted us to think of giving this a try," Reich says.
Their 1972 Volkswagen draws in clientele all on its own. She says often people are curious about the vehicle and usually end up buying something.
The front passenger seat of their beige vintage vehicle is embroidered with their business name in cursive typography, accented with a large daisy in between the two letters.
The two business owners have covered a display table with a white cloth just outside their van. On top of the table is an array of bright orange and yellow gerbera daisies sticking out of tin pots and hand painted mason jars.
For the price of $10 customers can pick three different flowers to make their own mini-bouquet. They can also purchase pre-made larger bouquets if they're stumped on what to choose.
Reich says the two aren't professional florists, but they've always had a passion for flowers.
The duo just started the business so they're keeping the future open as to where to take the business next.
Where to find them
To check out where Out of the Blue Mobile Boutique will be next, head to their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/outofthebluemobile/
To check out where Prairie Couture will be next, check out https://www.facebook.com/PrairieCoutureMobile/
To find out where Road Petals will be next, check out their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Road-Petals-424236724609349/
