Scott Ross-Molyneux and his wife Allison Iriye embrace horror (the fictional kind, that is), and are now sharing their love of the genre through Nocturne Books, a new horror and dark fiction bookstore in Marda Loop.

Located on the lower level of The Shops at Avenue 34, Nocturne offers a curated selection of dark fiction books spanning genres such as sci-fi, thriller, fantasy, speculative fiction and more. Ross-Molyneux and Iriye define dark fiction as an “overarching category of literature that involves themes that may generally disturb, frighten, and/or unsettle.”

Ross-Molyneux says he and Iriye (who is an avid horror reader) were always disappointed in the selection of books at big box retailers. That, coupled with inspiration from Slow Burn Books, a successful romance bookstore just doors away from Nocturne’s storefront, convinced the pair to open their own genre-specific, brick-and-mortar store.

“In this day and age, it’s just really refreshing to walk in, buy a book and then it’s yours,” says Ross-Molyneux.

Since opening Nocturne at the end of November, Ross-Molyneux has been happily surprised by the reception from shoppers, which has echoed the pair’s thoughts about the lack of a one-stop shop for horror book readers.

“I was blown away on the opening weekend [by] just how many people came in and said the exact same thing, which is, ‘I go to a bunch of other stores, can never find the book I want, the horror section is so small,'” says Ross-Molyneux. “It’s been kind of like deja vu, hearing that over and over again.”

Nocturne Books also has a consignment program that will showcase local and lesser-known authors’ works on its shelves. Ross-Molyneux is still putting it together (literally, he is building the bookshelf for the consigned books).

Naturally, we asked Ross-Molyneux for some book recommendations. He recently read and recommends Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman, a haunted house story told from the perspective of an eight-year-old girl, and Root Rot by Saskia Nislow, a horror story told from the perspective of nine different children visiting their grandfather’s lake house.

Nocturne Books, 15, 1934 34 Ave. S.W., 587-443-3336, nocturnebooks.ca

The post Inside Nocturne Books, Calgary’s New Horror-Focused Bookstore appeared first on Avenue Calgary.

Calgary fashion designer Anneke Forbes has built her label around a simple idea: women deserve outerwear that fits well and feels personal. Most of her work is custom, shaped through a design consultation and a long list of measurements that turn into a pattern made for one body. Her collection is full of clean, polished coats and jackets, with a small ready-to-wear rack for customers who prefer something they can take home the same day.

“I ask about their lifestyle, their personal style, favourite colours, things like that, to really get to know them and understand who they are, so that then I can design something for them that’s going to serve and reflect who they are,” Anneke Forbes says.

Her new hooded duffle coat brings that approach into a more casual place. It’s the first coat she’s made with a hood, designed for the kind of days that move quickly. The billed hood, shoulder yoke, patch pockets and sleeve epaulettes give it a practical feel with a bit of charm. The thickness of the wool means each detail has to be built separately and hand-stitched so it sits cleanly.

Inside, the coat has a smooth, flannel-backed satin lining, plus a two-way zipper for easy movement. It can also be made in a wide range of colours, creating a piece that feels personal while balancing everyday function with the easy, polished style Forbes is known for.

“I definitely still wanted to make sure that the piece aligned with the collection in terms of how sleek it is and how polished it is, but had just a bit more of that practical element so that I’m not just serving women in their work day, I’m also able to help them on the weekend or in their mom life,” Forbes says.

The post Made in Calgary: A Hooded Duffle Coat Designed for Real Life appeared first on Avenue Calgary.

If you love a great antique find, this (sort of) new pop-up has arrived in Calgary.

Wu & McHugh is a vintage wholesaler in Calgary that focuses on curated furniture and home decor pieces from China. Originally started by owners John McHugh and Miki Wu as a brick-and-mortar store in 2014, Wu & McHugh shut its doors during the COVID-19 pandemic and shifted to an online wholesale business model.

But until the end of January 2026, Calgarians can shop Wu & McHugh’s stunning collection and experience the vintage store in-person again at its new pop-up shopping experience at Lake Bonavista Promenade.

The pop-up features a variety of pieces from China that were curated by Wu herself, and is mostly focused on items like vintage elm benches, elm stools and unused pickle and soy sauce pots, as well as a few other decor items. A larger selection of pieces can still be found online.

During the pop-up, all items are on sale for 50 to 80 per cent off. The store is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Tuesday to Sunday, but appointments can be booked outside of operating hours.

The pop-up store is located at unit 169, 755 Lake Bonavista Dr. S.E., 403-710-9885, wuandmchugh.com

The post Calgary Vintage Wholesaler Wu & McHugh is Hosting a Pop-up Shop appeared first on Avenue Calgary.

Getting a good night’s sleep is important, and having the right mattress (or mattress topper) can be key.

Black Sheep Mattress Company handcrafts all its mattresses and bedding in Calgary, building products that last, feel good to use and are made from sustainable materials. Its lineup includes mattresses, pillows and mattress toppers.

“The key element for us is making our mattresses and bedding products from natural materials. So that would mean organic when possible, or third-party verified that they are coming from a clean and natural environment,” says Christian Schmidt.

The company’s newest creation is The Wooly mattress topper. Inspired by customers and friends who loved the company’s regular wool topper but wanted even more plushness, the team started experimenting until they found the sweet spot.

The Wooly has eight layers of breathable wool wrapped in organic cotton. It’s soft yet supportive, naturally temperature regulating and made to work with most standard mattress sizes.

“It’s for someone who wants to spoil themselves a little bit,” Schmidt says.

The post Made in Calgary: Black Sheep’s Wooly Mattress Topper Takes Comfort Up a Notch appeared first on Avenue Calgary.

Shopping for Christmas gifts isn’t always the easiest task. Keep things simple this year and check out one of these one-stop shops to cover all your gifting needs at once.

The CampLand Institute of Leisurely Pursuits

CampLand is a shopping destination by the team behind Camp Brand Goods. Along with the local brand’s signature fleece sweaters and casualwear, you’ll find apparel from other brands, outdoor and camping gear, candles, toys and even a commissary with fun food products.

1119 10 Ave. S.E., 403-453-7711, campbrandgoods.com

The Cardroom at Kricket’s

Puzzles, socks, mugs, home decor, jewellery – anything you can think of, you’ll probably find at The Cardroom at Kricket’s in Marda Loop. The store also offers a huge card collection for pretty much any occasion or theme.

3518 Garrison Gate S.W., 403-244-9330, thecardroom.ca

The CookBook Co. Cooks

Everyone needs to eat, and The Cookbook Co. Cooks retail store offers so much more than just cookbooks. The store is packed with delicious specialty ingredients, hard-to-find kitchenware, fun treats and more. Buy your uncle some cocktail bitters, grab a cookbook for your dad and pick up some locally-made chocolates and other sweets for your mom. Or, gift a cooking class to your favourite foodie friend.

722 11 Ave. S.W., 403-265-6066, cookbookcooks.com

Crafted Goods

Located at both Calgary Farmers’ Market locations, Crafted allows you to get your holiday shopping done while running other errands. This local company is on a mission to help support other local businesses by sharing the work of up-and-coming Canadian makers who offer stationery, greeting cards, ceramics, homewares and more.

Calgary Farmers’ Market South, 510 77 Ave. S.E., 587-885-3911; Calgary Farmers’ Market West, 25 Greenbriar Dr. N.W., 587-885-3912, craftedgoods.ca

The Hidden Gem

The Hidden Gem is full of local vendors — the Kensington store has 90 businesses inside — offering everything from jewellery to pet products. Be sure to visit this cozy indoor market to find something for everyone on your gift list this holiday season.

1145 Kensington Cres. N.W., @thehiddengemkensington

Reid’s

Though perhaps best known for its impressive selection of stationery and pens, Reid’s is much more than just a stationery store. Yes, you can pick out a Moleskine notebook and fountain pen for the writer in your life, but you can also head to the front of the store where you’ll find everything from inventive kitchenware items to toys. There’s also a big card section in the middle of the store.

710 17 Ave. S.W., 403-229-4400, reidstationers.com

Shop Makers

Shop Makers has three locations in the Calgary area, so look for it in Southcentre Mall, CrossIron Mills and CF Market Mall. The store sells the work of local makers, artisans and entrepreneurs, with a wide range of products that should cover your whole shopping list.

Southcentre Mall, 100 Anderson Rd. S.E.; CrossIron Mills, 261055 Crossiron Blvd., Rocky View; CF Market Mall, 3625 Shaganappi Trail N.W., shopmakers.ca

Steeling Home

A visit to this general store on 17th Avenue S.W. is like a treasure hunt — it’s fun to explore the shop’s eclectic wares and the huge variety of products practically guarantees easy gift buying. The store is roughly divided into sections for items like notebooks and paper goods, cookware and cookbooks, apparel, rugs and jewellery. Grab quirky gifts like the fun doormats that greet you at the entrance of the store.

1010 17 Ave. S.W., 403-245-0777, steelinghome.ca

Stuff

While the products in this store are generally geared towards men, there are also items that anyone would appreciate receiving this holiday season. Visit Stuff to pick up high-end men’s grooming products like razors and beard products, home and bar goods, apparel and more.

709 11 Ave. S.W., 403-209-2606, stuff4him.ca

Tigerstedt and Friends Gift Shop

Located in Crescent Heights, this shop brings many small businesses together under one roof. Step inside to shop from Strawberry Boots, a Japanese stationery and lifestyle store, Prairie Bazaar for vintage clothes and home products, as well as other local vendors.

918 Centre St. N., 403-860-5921, tigermoon.info

The post Great One-Stop Gift Stores in Calgary appeared first on Avenue Calgary.

When shoppers swing by Cherry Tree Lane Toys, they often say, “This isn’t just a store,” says owner Bekki Leon. They’re right.

Inside the Bridgeland shop, visitors find toy vehicles for cruising on the floor, cutouts in the walls for children to crawl through and pony walls so parents can keep an eye on their kids playing while they shop — all in the name of imaginative play and community building.

“Local, independent stores can be community,” says Bekki’s husband and shop co-owner, Ben. “That’s what we really wanted to foster. We had memories of that from when we were younger: walking home from school, you might pop in and not buy anything, but it was fun, and you knew the shopkeepers, and you were part of something.”

The couple established Cherry Tree Lane Toys in 2020 as an online business offering open-ended toys promoting play, imagination and creativity (toys that aren’t pre-programmed to play for you). They quickly realized that, to promote play, they needed a physical space. In 2023, they found their current home.

Today, Cherry Tree Lane’s storefront serves as more than just a toy shop; it’s a community hub. Its event space often hosts free activities, like crafts and games, and families can visit for storytime on Saturdays. And, of course, you’ll find imagination-building toys of all kinds, including pretend-play kits like wooden tea sets or a doctor’s kit, natural Play-Doh, stacking stones, and books.

“It’s about the magic of play and wanting to make sure that it’s accessible for everyone,” says Bekki.

905 1 Ave. N.E., 403-243-1993, cherrytreelane.ca, @cherrytreelanetoys

The post Cherry Tree Lane Toys is Bringing Back Playtime appeared first on Avenue Calgary.

For years, Jasen Robillard and his wife, Heather, sat at their dining room table, completing beautiful jigsaw puzzles together. “It gave us an excuse to hang out, which, given how busy our lives are, we kind of need that reason to just not be busy,” he says. But high-end jigsaw puzzles are somewhat scarce in Canada and can be expensive to import, so Robillard decided to start making his own in 2017 in his Dalhousie basement.

With Canadian-made art printed on six-millimetre-thick wood and laser-cut into unique, thematic pieces, StumpCraft’s name reflects the difficult, yet enjoyable nature of the puzzles.

After selling nearly 2,500 puzzles made and packaged from his home, Robillard decided to establish a small factory shop in southeast Calgary in 2021. Today, people across the globe enjoy doing StumpCraft’s colourful and whimsical puzzles as a relaxing solo activity or for cherished time with loved ones.

“​​This ability to draw people together is a rare thing, and that’s one of the things that I appreciate the most about the work that we do,” says Robillard.

Bay D2, 6115 3 St. S.E., 825-540-4670, stumpcraft.com, @stumpcraft

The post Made Here: StumpCraft Makes Quality Wooden Puzzles appeared first on Avenue Calgary.

Originally hailing from Vancouver Island, Anián is a clothing brand that embraces slow fashion by using recycled textiles to create its apparel. Calgarians can now learn more and experience the brand firsthand at the company’s first Calgary store on 17th Avenue S.W.

The brand’s name comes from the Straight of Anián, a waterway that was believed to exist in the Pacific Northwest that helped push exploration and connect the world. In that same way, Anián embraces new ideas to help push the fashion industry forward.

The new store, which opened in summer 2025, is the brand’s first brick-and-mortar location outside of B.C. It’s also a full-circle moment for Anián owner Paul Long, whose hometown is Calgary. The new store is designed after a Pacific Northwest cabin, with warm woods and natural textures throughout.

Made in Canada, Anián’s clothing is inspired by time spent in nature and created with the guiding principle of sustainability in mind. Part of that vision means making clothing that is built to last and can be worn for years to come, thus stopping extra clothing from reaching landfills.

The other part of Anián’s sustainability model is diverting textile waste (over 900,000 pounds since the brand started in 2013) from landfills by recycling worn out clothing and fabrics and turning them into new fabric that can be reused in its clothing. The brand has also worked with organizations like Ocean Legacy Foundation to turn old oyster farming trays into the buttons used on its clothing.

From that reclaimed fabric, Anián offers timeless and classic clothes — think wool and cotton flannel shirts, t-shirts and sweaters for men and women. The store also offers items like blankets, socks, headwear and more.

With the opening of the new location, Calgarians have a new way to help support a more sustainable fashion industry (and look stylish while doing it).

825 17 Ave. S.W., 587-885-3874, anianmfg.com

The post A Canadian Clothing Brand That Uses Recycled Fibres Debuts its First Calgary Store appeared first on Avenue Calgary.

Sweet Bella Chocolates began as a passion project for founder Kevin Conniff. He started out selling small batches of chocolate at Calgary’s seasonal markets, where local shoppers gave him the support to keep experimenting.

Conniff focuses on bars made with Ecuadorian chocolate and paired with flavours like Earl Grey tea, Moroccan mint and more. Each recipe begins with test runs that he shares with friends and family before moving into larger production.

Before creating new flavours, Conniff plays around with each chocolate to get a sense of texture and personality. “We’ll look at the characteristics of the chocolate. We’ll taste it. We’ll melt it, we’ll play around with it to see how fluid it is, see what type of notes it has, whether it’s nutty or fruity, and different things. And then we’ll figure out what we’re going to pair it with,” Conniff says.

The chocolate bars come in a variety of flavours including salted caramel, cranberry almond, smoky maple, Kashmiri chai, cayenne sesame and lavender.

As Sweet Bella has grown from seasonal markets to being carried in shops around Canada and the U.S., Conniff says seeing his bars on shelves never gets old.

“A lot of people, a lot of my friends, have done it when they go travelling. They go buy a bar, they take a picture, they send it to me, and it’s just like, wow, that is so cool. Super rewarding that it brings a smile to people’s faces,” Conniff says.

Available at select local retailers and online at sweetbella.ca

The post Made in Calgary: Sweet Bella Chocolates Crafts Creative Sweet Treats appeared first on Avenue Calgary.

Since 2023, Lylas Jewelry has offered bespoke pieces and hands-on workshops out of Café 417, a collaborative Calgary space that once housed four local businesses. In early August, 2025, Lylas moved into the historic Devenish building on 17th Avenue S.W.

Founder Rolene Mai says the community feel of their old space remains thanks to the Devenish’s shared hallway connecting independent local storefronts. “It makes entrepreneurship a lot less lonely,” she laughs.

Lylas creates jewellery for a breadth of occasions, from modern everyday pieces to custom engagement and wedding rings. Each piece of bespoke fine jewellery is custom-made by master bench jewellers, with over 90 per cent of the work done locally in Calgary.

One of its signature offerings are Morse coded rings, which are encrusted with recycled natural diamonds to spell out secret messages. For those looking for a more everyday piece, the shop’s permanent bracelets are custom-fitted and “zapped” in-store to weld the band together for a dainty, long-lasting piece.

Lylas Jewelry also hosts ring-making workshops led by Mai, plus a drop-in DIY option where you can create a piece at your convenience. Using a process called casting, customers carve their ring design out of wax, which is then transformed into sterling silver or gold, polished and ready for pickup within a few weeks.

“A lot of people don’t realize that they can create something so beautiful by themselves,” says Mai.

She envisions Lylas as both a jewellery shop and a gathering space for celebrations, with plush couches throughout the store and the interactive workshops fostering that atmosphere.

“Instead of just having a product, you’re sharing an experience with others,” Mai says.

112, 908 17 Ave. S.W., lylasjewelry.com

The post Lylas Jewelry Brings its Bespoke Jewellery and DIY Experiences to a New Space on 17th Avenue S.W. appeared first on Avenue Calgary.