I drive through Davidson, Saskatchewan (Canada) on the highway, heading north to Saskatoon. Along the road, I spot something unusual: an old-fashioned black buggy parked in a field with large white letters painted along the side. Antiques! A parade of handmade signs soon appears one after the other, tugging at my curiosity. When I see the sign encouraging me to turn off the highway, I follow it. Home can wait an hour or two.
What I find is nothing short of magical: a cheerful and bustling place in the countryside that inspires you to stop a while, take your time, and wonder at times past.
Erin Kinder is the owner and operator of Kinder Surprises Antiques and has been in business for 11 years. What began as a small business occupying a single repurposed barn on the acreage has grown to encompass several out-buildings (including a church!) and three additional staff members. Today, the business is operating at its peak with great products and an amazing team. Over the years, Erin says she has become better at investing in pieces that her customers love, which has streamlined her business.
“Every year since we started has been our best year!” she says with pride.
Erin comes from a family of crafty and creative do-ers. Her parents ran a gas station in Davidson and her mum owned an antique shop years ago. They were willing to try anything and didn’t worry too much about failure, she recalls. In business, they inspire her to this day.
Kinder Surprises Antiques is presently supported by the following technologies:
Combined point-of-sale (POS), inventory system, and website (Shopify)
Sales via live video (Facebook Live)
Rural internet access (Starlink)
Erin has encountered a few technical challenges with setting up her antiques business on an acreage. She has attempted to sell antiques using a Shopify-backed online store during the COVID-19 pandemic, but found the product ultimately limiting: it is designed more for selling t-shirts where you have 20 of the same design rather than one of a kind items. “It was a mess,” she says ruefully. Instead, she has found significant success with selling her items online on regular Facebook Live events. Reliable access to the internet in her rural community to power these systems is also a challenge, even though she has subscribed to Starlink.
I ask about the role of AI in her workflow, and Erin smiles: “It’s been a godsend!” She uses ChatGPT to help her research antiques and their histories. Without this technology, she would be restricted to rare books and niche websites, both difficult to find and time-consuming to parse.
When asked about advice for creatives looking to start their own businesses, she replies:
If you think [starting your own business] will be easier than a 9-5, it won’t be.
There are so many different skills required to successfully navigate a business today: product development, design, marketing, and technical know-how—just to name a few. The learning curve is steep and requires patience, practice, and flexibility.
Erin also recommends getting to know the resources available to help small business owners: often it is possible to apply for grants, and other support is available through organizations like WESK.
In addition to running her successful business, Erin can be found lifting heavy weights at BarnYard Fitness in Davidson. The fitness facility is run by locals Chiara Traversa and Tory Allan, and recently won the community’s 2024 Business of the Year award for their investment in the community and dedication to excellent service.
My chat with Erin draws to a close, and I spend some time browsing in the main barn alone. I am immediately drawn to the shelves of pink Mosser glass dinnerware, and my imagination takes flight.
Thank you, Erin, for spending some time with me and teaching me a bit about your business! To find out more about Kinder Surprises Antiques, check out the business on Facebook and Instagram.
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