Homesteader’s Emporium

The Soap Dispensary provides refills on just about any liquid soap (among many, many other fabulous things). I like to think of Homesteader’s Emporium as a sister store to Soap Dispensary. There, you can find tons of urban gardening, DIY food preparation and preservation tools (like sausage making, cheese making, canning), and even bee-keeping and chicken-keeping tools. Like the Soap Dispensary, Homesteader’s also offers different workshops and classes, many of which seem really interesting.

I dropped by Homesteader’s in December when I was looking to buy bokashi mix. I met with owner Rick Havlak, who was very friendly and knowledgeable about it (also, he’s a pretty handsome fellow, so that’s another reason to visit). Although the store was empty, it has more to do with the location than the fantastic products Homesteader’s offers. Situated just outside of Chinatown/the Downtown Eastside, it’s not a very popular location for the average person, which is a shame. Still, the shop itself is very welcoming, and it’s worth it to visit because it’ll definitely give you ideas about what you may want to do and how to live a greener life.

http://homesteadersemporium.ca/