It’s so cold outside! Now is the time to feed the birds hulled sunflower seeds, hulled peanuts and suet! Fresh really matters, which is why the suet we carry is made and delivered to us every week. We have a variety of different ‘flavours’ containing treats like fruit, mealworms and lots of nuts and seeds. … Read more
We recently received some new beautiful pieces of metal art from a couple of our Canadian artists. The walls are now full again with so many great options! We have about 5 different Canadian companies that we like to showcase in the shop. From Ontario, we carry art from Murals in Metal (Lucan), Metallic Evolution … Read more
This season is one where most of us like to keep cozy inside. We have lots of fun activities you can do to keep yourself or the kids entertained while we yearn for warmer days. Puzzles, paint by sticker books, embroidery kits, carving kits, make your own ‘stuffie’ kits, and our newest sewing and felting … Read more
The only certainties in life, it has long been said, are death and taxes. We can add to that: Discussions around suet and birds. Detailed debates include most affordable / flavours birds love best / safest and cleanest / how to discourage starlings from gobbling the entire supply in one go. (See bottom of this … Read more
There are many beautiful things in the shop and today we’re showing you just some of the more festive finds you’ll see when you pop in for some holiday shopping! We have the best selection of greeting cards, many of which are made in Canada. There’s many cheerful mugs, tea towels, dishcloths and quirky napkins … Read more
Studies show that 68% of Canadians believe in the importance of shopping local. Which is a powerful economic force, since 66¢ of every dollar spent locally STAYS local. This superpower creates what is called the boomerang effect: Money spent locally means a reinvestment in the community through spending or donations. At Avant-Garden, here’s how we … Read more
You’re invited! On Thursday November 27th we are having our annual customer appreciation event! This day is to say THANK YOU to all our amazing customers over the last 23 years! This is always a really fun and festive day. We will have door prizes, refreshments, hot apple cider, and NO TAX on anything in … Read more
Solmate Socks are always super popular in the shop, especially at this time of year! Aside from fun patterns and bright colours, they’re mismatched with love. The company uses sustainably sourced, eco-friendly fibers. This means that textile waste that would have gone to landfill is upcycled into quality yarns without adding any additional dyes to … Read more
Are your goldfinches packing their migratory bags, have they already headed south or are they only changing into winter clothing? The answer could be any or all of the above. Adult male in pre-breeding plumage, April 2025/photo credit: David M A O’Neill from Facebook The American Goldfinch (AGOL) spends the entire breeding season (May … Read more
Many people come to the Avant-Garden Shop repeatedly for our great selection of greeting cards! We carry over fifty different lines of cards that cover many occasions. We recently did a count of all the lines that are Canadian and local artists, and that number is over thirty! These cards are beautiful pieces of art, … Read more