Eclectic does not begin to describe Muddy Moose Market's offerings.
After all, it's not everywhere a shopper can walk away with a box of chicken wings, steak or salmon, and a Mexican hand-crafted metal garden flower or Workin' Man Shower Steamer with sandalwood and patchouli essential oils. In the same trip you could add a leather purse or handbag, or toss in some syrup, chocolate-covered bacon; or soup, piña colada or dip mix.
Need a comfy fix? "Snoozies" slippers or plush Wrangler quilts might fit the bill. And if you know someone whose mirth meter needs a jolt there are enough gag gifts to bring a smile to any dedicated 'downer.'
Red Deer-raised Jodee (Tisdale) Prouse opened her unusual gift store at 21 Gasoline Avenue East in November 2022 after many years running her own successful bath and body care business. After selling the business, she found early retirement a little wanting and began looking for a new challenge.
"I just wanted something I could do and that would let me create and keep me busy. So, here we are," she said, adding that making the experience even more fun are her five staff, who are all of a similar age and in the same place in life.
"It's just a beautiful partnership between all us girls because we just all pitch in."
She will take her staff to the Las Vegas trade show in a few weeks to help pick out more quirky, funny and 'I-did-not-know-those-existed' doodads, gifts, and accessories for any kitchen or bath. Prouse also visits major trade shows in Atlanta and Toronto every year to ferret out more finds.
Looking around her store, Prouse seems almost as surprised by the view as her customers, who typically find themselves browsing for an hour or more with many, no doubt, leaving with something they had no idea was missing from their lives.
"It is not what I have ever done in my more than 30 years of being self-employed," she said. "We just really go and really find things that we think are unique, that you don't see everywhere and that are from other family-owned businesses like us."
Her large line of metal lawn ornaments are a perfect example. They came from a family-owned Mexican business and the bright, electric-coloured pieces have been very popular.
Once a year, Prouse, and her husband Jim, head to Yuma, Arizona to meet with the Mexican company and load up a huge trailer to bring their creations to Red Deer.
"Those are the little treasures and the things we're willing to drive for to bring things here that are incredibly different that you just don't see."
Among the items that many shoppers are guaranteed to put in their I-had-no-idea-it-was-a-thing file are the flavoured peanuts from a small Louisiana company that can be eaten, shell and all.
Affordability, as well as out-of-the-ordinary, is key to her buying philosophy and she often passes on cool items that she figures too many customers would find a little out of their price ranges.
"That's the reason people come here. They just love that everything is so incredibly different and that they're still supporting other families."
She firmly believes there is room in the retail market for major chains and smaller, family-owned and operated businesses, where people can come in and share their stories and hear the stories of staff as they look for that perfect gift or seek a little dose of retail therapy.
"If someone is shopping in our baby section, we ask, 'OK, who's having a baby?' We really do care. And where do you get that personal service anymore?"
Gasoline Alley's Muddy Moose has proven so successful a second location will soon be opened in Edmonton.
For more go to muddymoosemarket.ca
