A new gift shop is adding colour, creativity, and community connection to Martensville. The Busy Basket Store, which officially opened on November 1st, is already gaining attention for its eclectic product selection, local focus, and strong ties to the people behind it.
For Candace English, the store is more than a business, it’s the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. “The Busy Basket is a family-owned business, just not by blood relation. I live here in Martensville and run the store, do the buying and merchandising aspects along with the day-to-day things. Taiye is there Mondays through Fridays, she is part of the family and helps with everything.”
Supporting them is a team of five part-time high-school students, all hired after impressing Candace with their initiative by coming in-person to request a job. Candace’s father and daughter also lend a hand. “You will likely see my dad telling stories about our products and boasting about how cool the store is, and my 14-year-old daughter makes an appearance now and then to fix up our display tables, and she runs our TikTok account.”
Candace has worked in customer service her entire adult life, but the spark began long before. “I have wanted to run my own shop since I was 12. I planned it all out like other girls planned out their weddings,” English explained. She credits Joyce, the head of the family business, for helping bring that dream to life. “Joyce is a very savvy businesswoman. She snatched up the Dollar Store with More, seeing the potential for a different kind of retail store. She offered me the opportunity to live out my career dream and here we are.”
Candace describes The Busy Basket Store as a gift shop at heart, that has something for everyone, including yourself!
The store focuses heavily on small Canadian brands, and prides themselves in being knowledgeable about each product they carry. The shop is also preparing for themed ready-made gift baskets and custom orders, the inspiration behind the store’s name.
There will also be an expansion in balloon services, providing the same service the previous store offered, but ramping it up to include balloon bouquets and arches in the new year.
Shoppers can expect a wide variety of items; many handmade or sourced from small creators. “The Busy Basket Store has a plethora of unique and fun items that you definitely do not generally find all in one place,” English added.
The main area includes scrapbooking supplies, natural pet treats, matching pet-owner sweaters, plantable greeting cards, hand-poured candles, Christian gift items, upcycled art supplies, hand-blown glass jewelry, fidgets, squishies, and more.
Then there’s Side B, an extension of the shop that includes a variety of quality clothing, make-up, lash clusters, press-on nails, hair claws, unique pop, candy, and chocolates, mini- Bluetooth speakers, chargers, pop culture collectibles, and more.
English hopes customers feel welcomed and inspired. “We want people to love to come to our shop, we want to have an inviting and comfortable atmosphere with a fun and trendy vibe.”
Giving back is a major focus for the Busy Basket Store team, with English noting that they have plans to donate a portion of gift basket sales to charity, supporting local Artisans, helping out with local events, organizations, schools and more.
The store is planning a grand opening celebration early in the new year and will also be offering seasonal and Boxing Day sales and has extended hours for December: Mon–Sat: 9:00am – 8:00pm | Sun: 11:00am – 7:00pm.
For more information about The Busy Basket Store, find them on Facebook and Tik Tok. You can also contact them at (306) 700-0565, but the best way to discover what the store has to offer is to stop in and see it in person at #3 – 7 Centennial Drive North.
