Your Unofficial, Incomplete Guide to Shopping Locally in Regina
Jul 15, 2020/inBlogs
This holiday season it’s more important than ever to shop local and keep profits in our community. It may be tempting to defer to Amazon because it seems easier than seeking out that perfect gift for the athlete, fashionista, or foodie in our lives.
So, we thought, “Let’s make local holiday shopping easier”. Though we obviously can’t list every Regina business, here is your unofficial, incomplete guide to shopping locally for whoever you are.
Home to some of the best cheese in Saskatchewan (both local and internationally imported), Takeaway Gourmet is a unique specialty food store in Regina’s Cathedral neighborhood. Upon entering expect to be greeted with a variety of exotic cheeses, cured meat, local products, and a carefully curated selection of ready-to-make appetizers and gourmet products. Their incredibly friendly staff can guide help you find the perfect gift for the gourmand in your life, and you can even try some free samples!
Shopping for a vegan or vegetarian foodie? Look no further than Recharge Café. This unique plant-based café caters to busy people, vegans, vegetarians, kosher, halal, local lovers, and the environmentally conscious. Recharge Café serves up a wide variety of delicious, meat-free soups, salads, snacks, and so much more. If you can’t decide what to order, try their chef’s choice baskets for a little bit (or a lot) of everything!
Located in the heart of downtown, Crave Kitchen + Wine Bar and has been catering to Regina’s business community, event scene, and daily food and beverage appetite since 2006. The Crave culinary team led by Chef Jonathan Thauberger focused on showcasing Saskatchewan and Canadian products using classic culinary techniques with a modern approach. Whether dining in or enjoying one of their incredible takeout meals, treat the foodie in your life to an upscale dining experience they won’t soon forget.
Royal Sporting Goods is 100% locally owned and has been serving Regina and surrounding area since 1918 (yep, 1918!). They pride themselves on providing their customers with personal service and a wide range of sports and home recreation products. From curling, to lacrosse, to billiards, and everything in between, Royal Sporting Goods has the perfect gift for the athlete in your life, no matter their sport. Look for them in the same building as Wheelhouse Cycle Club Central.
One of the most widely known and loved clothing brands to come out of Regina, 22Fresh sports (pun intended) a variety of athletic and casual clothes and accessories that are made for the street and sport. Started in 2007 by founder and CEO Kip Simon, 22Fresh has risen from humble beginnings to become an internationally recognized brand that has never forgotten its Saskatchewan roots.
Swing by the Northgate mall and check out the new home of Sports World Collectables, or shop on their website! This local shop is home to sports memorabilia you won’t find anywhere else. Grab some stocking stuffers like hockey cards or a novelty bobblehead, or go big with some seriously rare autographed posters, jerseys, and more.
Dutch Cycle has been locally owned and operated by the multiple generations of the same family since its founding 57 years ago. Shop for an off-the-rack commuter, mountain, or electric bike for the cycling enthusiast in your life, or let them customize their ride with a wide selection tires, saddles, and grips. Dutch will even throw in the “Dutch Touch”, their one-year free labour policy after purchase to help break in your new bike.
This audacious duo did the unthinkable – Opened a brick-and-mortar coffee shop in the middle of a pandemic. Check out Happy Hi‘s 13th Ave location for one of the best lattes in the city. Feeling something sweet? Grab on of their delicious croissants, scones, cookies, and other pastry offerings. Get there early enough on Sundays and you might just snag one of their famous donuts. They pair perfectly with curling up on a chilly winter day.
Core Coffee recently relocated to their new storefront, the former Slate Art Gallery near the Regina General Hospital. This retro-vibe café serves up always-changing specialty coffee creation and yummy vegan, gluten-free, and low-sugar snacks. As an added bonus, owners Tim and Amy also run T+A Vinyl fashion out of the very same space, so you can grab a cup-a-joe and shop some premium vintage styles all in one trip!
Owner Eric Galbraith started his coffee obsession experimenting with importing and roasting his own beans in his popcorn maker and BBQ. Now, 33 1/3 home-roasts some of the very best coffee in Regina. This vinyl-inspired retail coffee shop is a must-try for any coffee connoisseur, and a bag of their premium blends makes an ideal gift for the coffee-lover in your life.
Malty National offers a lineup of complex and creative beers that often changes weekly, so if you see something you like grab it quick! Treat the craft beer lover in your life to a pack of a citrusy IPA, a tropical sour, or their Red Nose mead. The also offer glassware, hats, and other collectables depending on the season. These also go fast, so don’t wait!
One of Regina’s pre-eminent craft breweries, Rebellion has never played by the rules when it comes to their beer or brand. You may be familiar with their gluten-friendly Lentil Cream Ale, but Rebellion also serves up a variety of styles with a core line that includes a pilsner, an amber ale, a stout, a cerveza, and an IPA. They even release a limited-edition exclusive every week that you can only get in their Dewdney taproom.
Have a hankering for delicious, local craft beer AND authentic Mexican food? Pile O’ Bones has you covered. With 32 taps of Saskatchewan craft beer, cider, and kombucha, Pile O’ Bones is the place to go when you’re looking for quality AND variety. When Covid-19 hit, the PoB team got creative and start saskbeerdelivery.ca, so you can get the beer lover in your life their fix without even leaving your house!
Located (aptly) in the Warehouse district, Warehouse Brewing is Regina’s newest craft brewery specializing in traditional, old world styles. The Brewery is located in the iconic Weston’s Bakery building, directly beside Local Market, which mean you can grab a pack (or a flat) of locally brewed craft beer and then shop a diverse selection of local products right next door! Who doesn’t love efficient shopping?
Spafford Books is undoubtedly one of Regina best kept secrets. You could very well walk right past this hidden gem and not know it was there, save for a discreet sign over the back door. Inside you’ll find a veritable treasure trove of used books and rare collectors editions. The even have manuscripts that are more than 400 years old.
Another audacious mid-Covid founding, The Penny University opened on Albert St. just this September. The combination café/bookstore has a full coffee bar, so you can sip on a warm cup while you shop the store. Sign up the book lover in your life for the Penny University monthly subscription, and they’ll receive a new book, a bag of fresh roasted coffee or loose-leaf tea, and a collection of themed surprise items delivered to their door.
If you’re shopping for a bookworm who’s looking for something a little more transcendent, get yourself to Aware House Books on 13th Ave. From the moment you enter you’ll hear the sound of inspiring music and smell a divine and unique fragrance that is the amalgamation of the various incenses, scented candles and aromatherapy oils that they carry. Relax into a state of inner peace as you shop Aware House’s massive selection of tomes on New Age spirituality, yoga, meditation, and more.
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Check out Swank Shoe Lounge in Regina’s Shoppes on Hamilton district for some of the best hand-picked shoes and accessories from around the world. Whether you’re shopping for casual sneakers, formal pumps, or anything in between, Swank has you covered. Not sure what you want? Swank’s stellar team will help you find the perfect pair. Whether or not you leave with new shoes, you’ll leave with a smile on your face thanks to their impeccable, down to earth customer service.
Founders Carleen and Shalene started Uforia Muse in 1999 with a vision of a fashion boutique like you might find in larger cities like Toronto or Vancouver. The store is a full of current, diverse fashion that is constantly changing. Uforia’s buying team routinely travels to international fashion tradeshows to bring back the hottest trends. If you’re not comfortable going out to get your fashion fix, no problem! Uforia has a robust online store so you can shop their complete inventory right from your couch.
AT Fashion is a destination boutique helping women in Regina and area rediscover their love of fine design. With gorgeous collections and a unique selection of brands and styles, give the fashion-focused person in your life the gift of remembering how great it feels to love what they’re wearing. From fresh prints to feminine hues, from daring to dignified, you’ll find the perfect style here. When you’re finished, head next door to AT’s sister store Casa Décor to make your home as stylish as you are.
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We would like to acknowledge that the land on which we gather is Treaty 4 territory and the traditional territory of the Anihšinābēk, Nêhiyawak, Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota peoples, and the original home of the Métis/Michif Nation. We recognize that both Indigenous and Métis people are the spiritual and cultural keepers of their traditional lands and still to this day, continue to practice their values, languages, beliefs and knowledge.