Montrose & George General Store

To understand the concept and design sensibility behind Abbotsford's Montrose + George General Store, the quote by nutritionist professor Joan Dye Gussow printed on the hand-printed flour-sack tea towel (displayed among the shop's purposely curated merchandise) sums it up best: "As for butter vs. margarine, I trust cows more than chemists." Simply put, M+G is built on a foundation of luxury brands and a warm familiarity that embodies a natural and pure goodness.

"Our brands have a common denominator in that they speak to our values," says co-owner Carli Strauss. "We try and do as much local as possible, but if we import a product we at least know where it's being made, like from a factory using fair trade principles, made ethically and naturally."