Veteran toy salesman and lover of all things Huntsville, John Till had always dreamed of opening a shop in Muskoka with the goal of showcasing local products.
He spent more than 20 years in the toy industry, dealing with everything from mom and pop shops to big box stores, and travelled all over the world. “Small businesses were always where my heart was and selling to them inspired me to start my own one day,” he said.
Till bought his house in Huntsville 12 years ago and, after escaping up north every chance he got, he made the move here full-time last fall. Then, “when I saw this space [on Brunel Road] for rent I knew it had so much potential with the boat, walking, and car traffic.”
Septrion Lodge Local Market is now open in downtown Huntsville. Before opening, John “spent months going to different stores and looking for brands I love and wanted to carry. I travelled to towns across Northern Ontario looking for those perfect locally made items.”
Local brands you can find at Septrion Lodge include Muskoka Roastery Coffee, Muskoka Tie Dye, Yummies in a Jar, and Love North. The store carries everything from home decor and kitchen ware to toys, and even the fixtures and displays have been locally hand-crafted.
“I have a huge passion for the North so I never plan on going back to Toronto. I am here to stay,” said Till. “I want to give an experience to our customers that they haven’t had before. I want to grow and evolve to guide the assortment towards what people are looking for. Having a customer walk out of here happy with a unique gift would make me so happy.”
Septrion Lodge Local Market is at Unit 1, 4 Brunel Road. The store is open Monday – Friday from 10-7, Saturday from 10-5, and Sunday from 11-4.
Learn more at septrioninc.ca or on Instagram @septrion_lodge, or contact John Till at [email protected].
Don’t miss out on Doppler!
Sign up here to receive our email digest with links to our most recent stories.
Local news in your inbox so you don’t miss anything!
Click here to support local news
0 Comments