About us
WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT
The Nooks is the first Artisan Retail Business Incubator in Canada!
Our unique retail model combines in store space, a ‘nook’ with an online marketplace for handmade, small businesses to grow a successful retail business! We give makers 100% of their sales in store and online in exchange for one membership fee. Learn more below about the value of our membership and how we can support you in launching, learning and growing in retail!
EDUCATION
We provide all makers with our 12 step artisan business program, a blog to share their stories, and a studio to host workshops, events, and more!
PROMOTION
Our makers get access to our online marketplace, selling opportunities at sponsored events, a gift guide giveaway. In addition we offer rewards to our customers for shopping local!
SUPPORT
Makers are part of our online community. We share idea, tips, and tricks to grow your handmade business. We also host meetups and offer internal creative services.
NOOKSTART ARTISAN BUSINESS PROGRAM
nookSTART is a 12 step business program specially designed by The Nooks and integrated into the retail model to support and accelerate the success of handcrafted businesses. All nookies have the opportunity to complete the program and pitch their business to a panel of judges for a chance to win their next 12 week membership for FREE!
N2N CANADA STORYTELLING PLATFORM
N2N Canada is our story telling + small business information platform where we blog about Canadian made, small businesses and feature our nookies’ maker stories.
BACKROOM STUDIO
Your space to host workshops, events, product launches to bring your business to the next level and connect further with your customers!
EVENTS
We offer additional selling opportunities at all Nook sponsored events, including partnered community events, holiday markets, summer markets, and our very own NookFEST Arts + Music Festival.
GIFT GUIDE GIVEAWAY
We curate a monthly themed gift guide to thank our customers for shopping local. The gift guide is made up of donated products from our makers and launched through social media. The winner picks up the gifted products in store.
NOOKS REWARDS
We offer rewards to our customers for shopping local. Customers earn stamps for every purchase they make at a retail nook location. Once their card is full they may redeem a hand-made gift from a participating nookie.
THE NOOKS ONLINE MARKETPLACE
The Nooks Online Marketplace is designed for Canadian made business and exclusive to our nookies! The Nooks Online Marketplace is the FIRST multi merchant platform with the revenue model of giving 100% of product sales back to the merchant. The Nooks Retail Membership includes the online package!
THE NOOKS MAKERS HUB
The Nooks Makers’ Hub is a private Facebook page where all creatives can share ideas, feedback, and offer peer-to-peer support. The Makers’ Hub is also our platform where we communicate nook related information surrounding sale reports, trending products, and announcements.
MAKER MEETUPS
The Nooks host monthly maker meet ups for nookies to share best practices, experiences, opportunities + discuss their nookSTART homework with each other.
NOOKIE COMMITTEE
The Nookie committee’s purpose is to strengthen the 3 key elements of The Nooks business: Our customers shopping experience, community connections and maker relations. The committee meets 3 x within a 12 week commitment and all have the opportunity join!
CUSTOM INVENTORY SYSTEM
We have our own inventory system that allows you to track your sales and manage your inventory from the comforts of your home!
CREATIVE SERVICES
We offer internal creative services to our makers at an affordable price. From social media, branding, website design, business cards or merchandising services our in house creative team can do it all!
