As Etsy’s “curator,” Martha Stewart looked at hundreds of small business products to create her first “spring collection,” which debuted this week. Around 100 items, mainly manufactured in the USA, Great Britain, France and Germany, have received the “Good Things” seal. La Presse has had the pleasure of telling two Quebec entrepreneurs that one (and two) of their creations are among the favorites of the Queen of Good Taste. Here you are.
Posted at 12:00 p.m
Atelier Bussière: the beauty of natural stone
Two items from BussièreBoutique caught Martha Stewart’s attention: the FOGO jar, a small cherry wood jar with a marble lid, and four marble coasters. They are made in the Lac-Mégantic region by Atelier Bussière, a small company based in Lac-Drolet that works with natural stone in different ways.
PHOTO JESSICA GARNEAU, LA TRIBUNE
Jean-François Bussière, owner of Atelier Bussière, breathes new life into leftover natural stone, whether marble or granite.
“I feel like I won the million! exclaimed the owner, Jean-François Bussière, a manager with many ideas when he heard the news.
It makes me proud to see that Martha Stewart looked at two of my products. That’s a nice affirmation coming from someone of his stature.
Jean-François Bussière, owner of Atelier Bussière
PHOTO MELANIE BUSSIÈRE PROVIDED BY ETSY CANADA
This set of four coasters from Atelier Bussière is made from pearl gray marble from Georgia, United States. Price: $65
And if now, thanks to Martha Stewart’s touch, orders greatly multiplied? He says he’s ready to take on the challenge, along with the other two members of his small team who work in the workshop. “We are in the MRC du Granit, where the stone industry is very present,” he explains. Many worktop manufacturers are based here and produce offcuts. I often delve into it to craft small objects and components that are used to make lighting fixtures and furniture. »
The objects he offers are made in collaboration with designers and creators. “These are products that you can keep for life,” he explains, “because of the nature of the material you’re working with. »
Habits and Customs: a well-known flag-bearer
Martha Stewart was also interested in the walnut entryway benches with built-in storage by Montreal-based Us et Coutumes, which have been available on Etsy for nine years.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The co-owners of Us et Coutumes, Vincent Cloutier and Alicia Baron (middle), want to diversify their offer and are ready to meet the demand, with the invaluable collaboration of their collaborator Laurence Desmarais.
“I’m pleasantly surprised,” said company co-owner Vincent Cloutier when informed by La Presse. “We specialized in high quality wooden side furniture that shipped flat like IKEA furniture, and Etsy opened the door to the American market for us. The bank was our flag bearer and served us well. »
PHOTO JS DENOMME PROVIDED BY ETSY CANADA
Walnut entry benches with built-in storage from Montreal-based Us and Customs caught Martha Stewart’s eye. Price: $662.93 (26 inches – 0.66 m – long)
Since the pandemic, the company has strived to diversify its products and be more present in the Quebec market by making more customized products, reveals the industrial designer, who in 2021 entered into a new partnership with Alicia Baron Designer Industry. “Design is at the heart of everything we do,” says Vincent Coutier.
PHOTO JS DENOMME PROVIDED BY ETSY CANADA
Walnut floorboard
For someone like Martha Stewart, who has a very keen eye and is looking for more exclusive products, it is very flattering to put a seal of approval on one of our pieces of furniture.
Vincent Cloutier, co-owner of Us et Coutume
When consumers visit Etsy’s website, they’ll find that the range of configurations is pretty wide, he notes. “It’s a gateway to our Etsy shop, where we offer about fifteen products mostly made of wood, including benches, shelves with coat racks, consoles, cutting boards, wall hooks… It’s very diverse. »