The store offered no tax on all items, refreshments and door prizes to celebrate the milestone. Soroptimist International Peterborough was there to help with gift-wrapping as a fundraising effort to support education for women and girls, locally and internationally.
The shop opened on George Street on Dec. 12, 2002 and operated for three and a half years before moving to its current location at 165 Sherbrooke St. due to increasing product demand.
Brenda Ibey, Avant-Garden Shop owner, attributes the community and her store’s uniqueness to remain in business for the past 22 years.
“We've really focused our product line on a lot of Canadian-made items, things that are a little different than what you get everywhere else,” she explained. “We have wonderful customers. I really attribute a lot of our success to our wonderful customers.”
Avant-Garden sells items such as outdoor wall art, hand-tuned wind chimes, East Coast and Ontario pewter, garden flags, locally made garden art, jewellery, coasters, candles, quality bird feeders, non-GMO bird seed, birding books, greeting cards, and more.
The store has won four Business Excellence awards, including 2022 Business Woman of the Year. Wild Bird Trading has also awarded it the title of Best Wild Bird Store.
“You have to be dedicated. You have to willing to be open almost every day and stick to a theme,” explained Ibey. “Talk to other business owners. They're often willing to help and I've spoke to a lot of business owners over the years trying to help them and young entrepreneurs.”
