Flagstaff Featured Business: Rustic Stars
(as published in the November 6 edition of The Community Press)
The Flagstaff Region Featured Business is a monthly newspaper and web feature presented in partnership by Flagstaff County and The Community Press.
Rustic Stars
5104 50 Street, Hardisty
780-888-0008
Trish Granger and her parents, Dean and Diane Fossum, started reaching for the stars (the rustic variety, that is) circa 2012.
That’s when the trio began considering the possibility of opening a little country gift shop on Hardisty’s main street.
“My parents and I started thinking about the business seven years ago,” Trish recalls.
“We were talking one day that we felt Hardisty needed more of a boutique kind of store or unique store to draw people into the town of Hardisty. We wanted to come up with something that was different, and warm and welcoming.”
The name for the new venture was born out of Trish’s love for all things rustic.
“I’ve always liked unique and rustic and country, so we started with the word ‘rustic,’” she explains. “We collect a lot of stars in our homes, so Rustic Stars became its name.”
The one-of-a-kind gift shop opened in 2013 and has since carved out its own regional niche with a treasure trove of home décor and personalized items – including T-shirts, signs and decals, as well as a selection of Surface hair care products.
Inventory varies with the seasons, and at Rustic Stars, no season is bigger than the Christmas season.
“Christmas is a big part of our store,” Trish says. “We have over 30 trees that are theme-decorated. I start planning my Christmas trees in February all the way into October. Sometimes we have to make our own decor to go with the trees. Sometimes I have to find more trees, but every tree is different and unique.”
This year’s lineup of themed trees includes a princess tree, which also happens to be upside-down. Resplendent in white androse-coloured feathered boas, ballerinas and sequinned owls among other sparkly ornaments, this tree was designed to make little girls’ eyes twinkle.
“Our upside-down tree is always the tree that people come to see and every year that upside down tree is something different,” Trish explains.
Other themed trees include a Grinch tree for the kids, a warm and cozy woodland tree, and the ever-popular redneck tree adorned with hunting and fishing-inspired ornaments – and a dash of camouflage.
There’s also the annual sports tree, complete with brand new ornaments.
“Every year we have a new hockey ornament or a new baseball ornament so that same mom that’s been coming for six years to buy her son a hockey ornament has a different ornament for every year,” Trish says.
“When you come to Rustic Stars, you’ll always find a different Christmas ornament that’s perfect for your special person.”
Rustic Stars also stocks Snow Cottage Carvings by Castlegar, BC-based wood-carver Dave Francis.
“Dave has created a collection of Santas and they are absolutely gorgeous,” Trish adds.
Besides the timeless creations, Rustic Stars strives to keep up with the ever-changing trends in home décor. This year, the store has an abundance of buffalo plaid items.
Buffalo plaid is hugely popular this year, notes Trish. “Everywhere you look, there’s buffalo plaid,” she says.
Rustic Stars also prides itself in catering to the creative types that enjoy adding a personal flair to their gift-giving.
“At Rustic Stars, we can create you your own personal item,” Trish says. “We can create you a personal shirt with your own saying. We can create cups with various sayings.
We make personal Christmas tree ornaments. You might want a memory ball for that special someone that you just lost. We can create almost anything that you have a vision for.”
Trish’s teenage daughter, Reegan, helps out in that regard. The 14-year-old creates T-shirts, sweatshirts, and hats under her own clothing brand dubbed Speed Demons.
“Rustic Stars is a family. It’s a mom, a dad, and a daughter, along with a granddaughter,” Trish says, noting the family business is a big proponent of shopping local.
“We love local. Not only do we shop in Hardisty, but we shop within Flagstaff County. As business owners, we all support the other little businesses and I find that because we support other businesses in the county, they support us.“
For the month of December, Rustic Stars is open 9 to 5 on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, 9 to 9 on Thursday, and 10 to 3 on Saturday. Notably, Rustic Stars will be open until 9 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 5, when the CP Holiday Train rolls into Hardisty.
The retail space also houses an Alberta Registries outlet offering everything from vehicle registration services and land title searches to marriage licences and birth certificates. The registry employs one full-time and one part-time employee. It is open 9-5 on Monday to Friday, including the lunch hour.
For more information on Rustic Stars, find Rustic Stars on Facebook and Instagram.
Flagstaff County and The Community Press have been proud to partner on this free monthly business feature. Would you like to apply to have your business featured in 2020? Applications are open from Nov. 1 to 30. To apply, go to http://bit.ly/2020featuredbiz and complete the application form.
As published in the November 6 of The Community Press – on newsstands today. Never miss an issue, become a SUBSCRIBER today!
The Flagstaff Region Featured Business is a monthly newspaper and web feature presented in partnership by Flagstaff County and The Community Press. For more information, contact Jenalee Waring, Economic Development Coordinator, at 780-384-4152.
