“Leap and the net will appear.” Emily’s motto for 2022 is a lot like her motto for life.
From maker’s markets to brick-and-mortar shops, Emily has been at the heart of the Almonte Merchant community for over 15 years, and opened the popular shop Cheerfully Made on Mill Street nine years ago.
Since the age of 11, Emily has called Almonte home and so location was any easy choice: “Almonte is quite literally my heart…I’m living my dream….in my favourite small town.”
Supporting local is about more than just one business, it’s about being connected to a “community every day because I’m not leaving town for work, [and supporting] my local economy [through] jobs, volunteering, tourism,” it’s all connected.
“I wish people knew how hard we truly work.…. we are genuinely doing our best and we can’t be compared to the big guys. We don’t want to be.”
Staying local is a family affair, Emily’s dad recently opened The Almonte Coffee House and Emporium, and she quips about “negotiating free coffee for life” but there are many local businesses that Emily and Cheerfully Made support.
Emily’s first ever employee (Blackbird 2007) and long-time merchant pal, Colleen Hewitt owns Crush Marketplace. “Watching Colleen turn her passion (shoes) into [an] amazing business…is really inspiring. She’s a hard worker and an even nicer person. It’s fun to purchase items from her shop because she’s just so genuinely excited about her business and the products she carries. It’s contagious.”
So, what’s next for 2022 Emily?
Emily has a 2nd business coming to Mill Street this Spring and she says, “I WILL be hosting in person craft markets again! …. Bring on the people!”