Perth General Store

The Perth General Store radiates an ambiance of warmth, calmness, and a feeling of belonging. Biscuit, the Mini Doodle, and the unofficial ambassador, greets you gently with a wagging tale and a soft sniff. It’s truly a delightful atmosphere. When it comes to describing their business in one word, Mother-Daughter owners Shelly and Meg Adams agree that it epitomizes the word, ‘welcoming.’ Meg goes on to explain, “We want anyone who comes in to feel welcome and supported, whether they know what they want or not. We’re here to give them a great experience and maybe an unexpected one too.”

This pair always wanted to start a business together and a little over a year ago, they put the foot on the pedal and decided to open a shop. Meg notes, “As I researched the history of a general store in the past, and its significance as a central place where you could pick up your food staple, and find something from far and wide in an era when you couldn’t travel across the country or across the world, I loved the idea that someone could come and pick up their milk every week. Then they could also try a new spice they never thought they would try, or a new candle scent that they never thought they would try and fall in love with. Having these options just brings a little more whimsy to life.”

Ultimately, their mission is to bring a platform to as many Canadian businesses as possible and small businesses. They have over 60 Canadian brands right now and counting. It’s important for them to continue to grow that portfolio, and to create a platform for these brands. They offer anything from food and beverages, that includes snacks or food that you prepare, such as frozen meat and seasoning, to fresh milk and eggs delivered every week. Most of the time, their sauces and pastas are imported from Greece or Italy, but Canadian brands run them. They have wellness and home products including anything from soaps and salves and hairbrushes to home cleaning products and items to make your house look beautiful. They try to include as many local vendors as possible. For example, in the summer, they have a lot of fresh produce, and florals.

Their mission to support local and Canadian brands gives them a unique angle. Meg explains, “we curate everything by hand. We go online and find these brands ourselves. We talk to the people who make the products. We know their livelihoods just as much as ours. We’re all supporting our families with these products. We have a limited supply chain since big corporations control many brands, so there’s a real sense of community in the products we carry.” Indeed, Meg and Shelly truly are actively involved in ensuring that their business continually embraces the importance of community.

Sherry and Meg have a lot of visions for the business, but they are trying to grow strategically. They bootstrapped this business themselves, with Meg stating, “It’s all on my mom and I. We’re trying to grow with confidence. We absolutely want to do workshops and community events. Bringing the community together makes us happy.” In the short span of their business, they have already hit the ground running holding events. They have a large parking lot in the front, and on weekends, especially in the summer, they invite the community for events. Eventually, they do also want to offer prepared fresh food for the community.

One aspect they wish people knew about their business is that they exist as a new business. This store came into existence from two women with corporate backgrounds who wanted to give back to their community and offer a local, holistic experience. They also love feedback. They are continually learning that product education is important.

In terms of challenges they face as a small business, they note, “living in an area that has such drastic seasons also comes with volatility in terms of our sales cycle. These are things that we anticipated, but we didn’t know the reality of the power of social media.” Knowing the overwhelmingly positive impact their efforts have on their customers is meaningful and well worth the investment. The community in Perth has been extremely helpful in these challenges. Many businesses are very generous with their advice and their help. Meg stated that, “One of the first people we spoke with was from the Chamber, and from there we developed so many connections and ideas. As much as there were a lot of challenges to start a business, there was a massive village to support us as well.”

Ultimately, the shift from the corporate world in which they worked remotely behind a computer since 2017, was a huge change for Meg and Shelly. Meg noted that, “The authenticity and the reality of interacting with customers is a reminder that we’re all in this together and it makes us so happy. I also enjoy seeing the brands that we carry succeed. I think that’s the biggest moment for me.”

With daily in-person interactions comes many rewarding memories. Most recently, a milestone that stood out to Meg and Shelly was Mother’s Day. As Meg explains, “ it’s a meaningful holiday given we run a mother-daughter business. Many people came in with their mothers to support us. It really felt like folks weren’t just here to get their gifts and pop out. They were here for us all to celebrate this recognition of mothers. So that was lovely. We feel like we’re a part of something in an experience that can otherwise feel very isolating, which is wonderful. We love the community, both within and outside of the Chamber, and we’re very grateful to everyone for their support.”