Laurie Hysuick started Mitny Refillery in Jan. 2023 to provide Moose Javians with a sustainable, healthy alternative for products like laundry detergent, body wash, tooth paste, and more, and her store is now one of the top ten finalists for SaskTel's Small Business Month Spotlight promotion.
"Mel (McFarlane) from River Street Potters tagged me in this contest about two weeks ago now, I guess, and we started sharing it, and yeah, it would be amazing for us and the local artists in store," Hysuick said. "We're one of the top ten finalists, which I found out last Friday when SaskTel phoned to ask permission to tag us.
"If we won this, it would really help to make us more known. There are still people in the community who don't know that we're here and what we do, and why (refilling) is important for community and for our health, our wallets, for everything really."
SaskTel accepts submissions for small, local businesses that make a noticeable difference in the community, incorporate innovative and unique business practices, and demonstrate exceptional customer service.
There will be two winners of the Small Business Month Spotlight. The first winner will be featured in a promotional Spotlight video and given $2,000 worth of billboard space, with all the marketing developed free of charge.
The runner-up will be featured in a SaskTel article and given $1,000 worth of billboard, again with the marketing developed for free.
Preliminary nominations took place in September. Final voting happens from Oct. 10 to 24, and the winners will be announced by Nov. 3.
Voting is at www.sasktel.com/spotlight.
"My first few months of business have been amazing, and so fun," Hysuick said. "I use my social media quite a bit, and what I love about my customers is they'll tell me what they want and what they need. I'll do a social media poll, and they'll tell me what they'd like to see, and there's a message board where they can put requests, and I do my best to bring it in. So, we're in it together.
"I feel people have been coming back because they love the products. They love the idea they can fill their bottles half full, they can try new things. My selection is constantly growing, so there's always something new and there's something for everyone, including the local artists I feature."
Hysuick knew long before she opened her store that featuring local artists would be important for her. Once she opened, however, she was delighted to find there are more talented local creatives than she ever knew. She started with artists including Melanie McFarlane’s ‘Mel’s Pottery & Books,’ Bobbi Ingalls' ‘Knotty Bobbi Macrame,’ and ‘The Turquoise Toolbox’ by Amanda Anderson, among others, and has a dedicated space for them.
"People love seeing these local artists in here and knowing that, you know, they're helping to support their neighbours," she explained. "I never realized how much talent we had until I started looking for them and people found out I had them, so now with the abundance of local artists I've heard of, whether it's jewelry or paintings or crochet, I'm going to start doing a feature corner where artists can bring in their stuff and display it and have it for sale, with some information about them."
Another venture turning out to be popular is Hysuick's store-made products. She makes her own refillables (such as bath salts), which means she can specialize for demand and customer need.
Further reinforcing her love of local, Hysuick has been featuring other Moose Jaw businesses every week on her socials.
"We do a 'Meet Moose Jaw Monday,' we've done a few weeks of it now," she explained. "The goal is to be a local tourist again and see what we have here. So, all during the week I do sneak peeks, and people get to guess what it is. It's so fun seeing their guesses, and then on the Monday I give away a $20 gift certificate to that locally owned business."
Hysuick believes that co-promotion and enthusiasm benefits everyone, more than competition can.
"I've never had anyone come in, or heard of anyone coming to town, just for a single business, you know? They come to Moose Jaw, the whole city, and I think sometimes we lose sight of that, but we're all in it together."
Find Mitny Refillery at www.mitnyrefillery.ca and follow their socials to learn more.
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