As we walk through the front doors of this local market, the sun shines through their 10-foot windows, and I browse through the high-quality, locally sourced grocery, house plants and giftware. I've arrived at The High Maintenance Hippie Local Market, a progressive farmers market in Warman, Saskatchewan.
The High Maintenance Hippie Local Market is reasonably new to the city, opening their doors in October of 2022.
"It's essentially a one stop indoor farmers market…but more," shared owner and operator Hannah Hannah. "We have everything from houseplants to handmade gifts to locally sourced grocery items, heat-and-eat meals, local beef, bison, pork, and soon lamb. A little bit of everything for everyone."
Yes, you read that right, Hannah Hannah. The sweet Saskatchewan girl raised in Moose Jaw, who now lives in Warman, with her three kids, is the brains (and brawn) behind the store and enjoys every minute of running it.
"I've always been obsessed with farmers' markets. My grandparents took me to the market frequently when I was little. I loved learning where the products came from," shared Hannah. "I remember many people telling us I had the “gift of gab”, like a farmer. Farmers seem to have a knack for chatting with anyone and everyone, which reflects what I do." She added, "That’s a big part of why I like this work so much.”
Hannah started in the industry during the tail end of COVID-19 pandemic. Her long time good friends operate a similar business in Saskatoon, The Little Market Box (LMB). The timing of LMB’s move into a bigger space and the Christmas rush was the perfect time for Hannah to get her feet wet at LMB.
“That first shift, I knew this is what my own community of Warman needed and what I wanted to do. But I needed to put a few twist on the business model that reflected my lifestyle, and I needed help.”
Community Futures (CF) Mid-Sask was there for Hannah. They helped her gain financing, fine-tune a business plan and helped foster this dream of entrepreneurship.
“If I needed help, they were there to point me in the right direction.”
The High Maintenance Hippie has 76 vendors and a waitlist of 120 +. They sell fresh produce, baked and preserved goods and offer other products that align with Hannah’s values: whole foods and the freshest and most natural products possible. The focus is on healthier, local and ethically sourced products.
The business provides value for not only the consumers but also the vendors she provides space for. They can sell their products six days a week, whereas many have previously been limited to traditional Farmers Market hours or craft markets/shows.
“One of the main things that I learned while taking a (CF Mid-Sask) course was positioning my business as a destination, with a bonus that I got to meet other like-minded entrepreneurs – I loved collaborating with them in an intimate network.”
The High Maintenance Hippie will soon offer a small coffee bar as well as makers courses and demonstrations at the shop. “We have a loft space upstairs where some vendors can host workshops. Customers can come and learn to make things like bread or something completely different like jewellery or macreme. We can even offer ladies' nights and small team building events; the possibilities are endless.”
Visit Hannah at The High Maintenance Hippie:
At the store in Warman, SK - 825 Unit 103 Centennial Blvd.
IG - @thehighmaintenancehippie_sk
FB- The High Maintenance Hippie Local Market
